Policing Minister Chris Philp has met senior police leaders and 13 of the UK’s biggest retailers to launch 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. Police attendance will be assessed based on risk, and prolific or juvenile offenders will be treated with elevated priority.
Police have also reaffirmed their pledge to follow up on any evidence that could reasonably lead to catching a perpetrator. Forces will step up targeted hotspot patrols in badly affected areas.
The plan sets out advice for retailers on how to provide the best possible evidence for police to pursue in any case. They 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.
Where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database using facial recognition technology to further aid efforts to identify and prosecute offenders – particularly prolific or potentially dangerous individuals.
A specialist new police team is also being created to build a comprehensive intelligence picture of the organised crime gangs that fuel many shoplifting incidents across the country, to help target and dismantle them.
The initiative, called Pegasus, is a 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.
Spearheaded by Katy Bourne, the Business Crime lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Pegasus is the first national partnership of its kind. It is backed by the Home Office, John Lewis, the Co-op, M&S, Boots, Primark and several more, who have collectively pledged to provide over £840,000 to get the initiative off the ground.
Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “I want a new zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting. It is a blight on our high streets and communities and puts the livelihoods of traders at risk. I am determined to drive forward change.
“While it is encouraging to see a 29% increase in charges for shoplifting in the past year, the rise in offending is unacceptable and there is much more to do to stop it happening in the first place.
“That’s why we’re taking action and bringing together government, policing and business to commit to smarter, more joined up working when it comes to retail crime, which will help to drive down criminal behaviour and rebuild public confidence in the police response when it does occur.”
