ACS is urging retailers to write to their Police and Crime Commissioners, highlighting the problems that crime cause in their store and calling on them to pledge to ensure that police forces take shop theft and abuse of staff seriously.
The pledges that PCCs are being asked to sign up to include:
- confronting reoffending, particularly prolific reoffenders with drug dependencies and organised criminal gangs
- working to standards on what a ‘good response’ to shop theft looks like, supporting retailer led crime prevention, developing and sharing best practice with retailers, and encouraging them to report shop theft in line with these standards
- always responding promptly to shop theft where violence is involved or where a suspect is detained
ACS has already received cross party support from 9 Police and Crime Commissioners.
Figures from the 2018 ACS Crime Report show that theft cost each store in the convenience sector over £1,700 on average last year.
Commenting on the impact of business crime, West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion said: "As commissioner I pledge that I will provide West Mercia Police with resource continue the fight against business crime in West Mercia and to ensure that the Force always respond promptly to shop theft where violence is involved or where a suspect is detained. I will ensure funding is available to tackle reoffending, particularly prolific reoffenders with drug dependencies and organised criminal gangs. I will both support and financially support partnership working in my force area through local partnership schemes to promote retailer led crime prevention, developing and sharing best practice with retailers, and encouraging them to report shop theft. I will continue to support the retail sector to ensure they are taking all appropriate action to reduce business crime through store design and management."
An Early Day Motion tabled by All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group chair Ruth George MP on the importance of dealing with shop theft has received cross party support from MPs. Early Day Motion 1415 has currently received 19 signatures from members of the Labour Party, Conservative Party, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats and the DUP.
A template letter for retailers concerned about the impact of theft and abuse on their business to send to their local PCC, asking them to sign up to the pledge, is available here.
