I appreciate, and share, the concern many of my constituents have shown about the growing scourge of theft and retail crime as well as the unacceptable increase of violence towards retail staff through the Support Shopworkers campaign.
I can assure you that the Government is committed to ensuring that retail workers are safe so I am pleased to share new measures announced to crackdown on retail crime.
Today, the Prime Minister has announced a tough new package of measures to crackdown on retail crime as we stick to our long-term plan to drive down crime, creating safer communities for you and your family.
Since 2010 we have cut crime excluding fraud by over 50%, but we understand that shop workers and keepers continue to be impacted by theft, abuse and violence. In areas with a Labour Police and Crime Commissioner, you are 40% more likely to be a victim of crime because Labour do not have a plan to cut crime.
We must go further to tackle this blight on our high streets. That is why we are introducing:
- A new standalone offence for assaults on shop workers; perpetrators face being sent to prison for up to six months, receiving an unlimited fine, and being banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes, with Criminal Behaviour Orders barring them visiting specific premises. Breaching an Order is also a criminal offence and carries a five-year maximum prison sentence.
- Tagging for repeat shoplifters; expanding the use of GPS tagging for repeat shoplifters, a constant reminder to offenders that the Probation Service can find out where they have been, with the risk of prison time if they don’t comply.
- Investing £55.5 million over the next 4 years for greater tools for the police such as facial recognition
- More support for businesses to report and prevent these crimes in the first place.
I also welcome further Government progress on this issue with the implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan. The plan includes a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting instances involving violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence. I understand that police attendance will be assessed based on risk, and prolific or juvenile offenders will be treated with elevated priority.
I am aware that, as part of the plan, police have also reaffirmed their pledge to follow up on any evidence that could reasonably lead to catching a perpetrator, and to step up activity in targeted hotspots in badly affected areas. The plan also sets out advice for retailers on how to provide the best possible evidence for police to pursue in any case. Retailers should send CCTV footage of the whole incident, and an image of the shoplifter from the digital evidence management system, as quickly as possible after an offence has been committed.
Further, the Home Office has created a new business and policing partnership that will radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing, to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. This will include development of a new information sharing platform and training for retailers.
You can find out more about both the Retail Crime Action plan here:
Retail Crime Action Plan (nbcc.police.uk)
