A new Retail Crime Action Plan introduced by the UK government to combat shoplifting sets out how police should respond to and investigate thefts.
Launched by Policing Minister Chris Philp, following a meeting with senior police leaders and 13 of the UK’s biggest retailers, the plan aims to reduce the number of shoplifting incidents and improve how officers and retailers respond to incidents.
The plan also restates a commitment by the police to prioritise attending scenes of shoplifting where violence against staff is reported; where security guards have detained a suspect, or where there is a need to secure evidence.
I want a new zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting. It is a blight on our highstreets and communities and puts the livelihoods of traders at risk.
Police officers will also take account of additional factors which might expose staff or shoppers to higher risk, including a history of prolific or juvenile offending resulting in suspects being treated with elevated priority.
The police are also committing to follow up on any evidence that might reasonably lead to catching a perpetrator.
Its activities will also supporting the Pegasus business and policing partnership which was first reported by The Times in September, and radically improves the way retailers share intelligence, providing policing with a better understanding of tactics used by organised retail crime gangs.
The plan also sets out advice for retailers on how to provide the best possible evidence for the police to pursue a case.
Guidance includes sending CCTV footage of the whole incident, and an image of the shoplifter from a 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 support efforts to identify and prosecute offenders - with prolific and potentially dangerous suspects receiving priority.
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.
Its activities will also supporting the Pegasus business and policing partnership which was first reported by The Times in September, and radically improves the way retailers share intelligence, providing policing with a better understanding of tactics used by organised retail crime gangs.
Spearheaded by Katy Bourne, the Business Crime lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), 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, Philp, says: "I want a new zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting.
It is a blight on our highstreets 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 per cent 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."
The majority of funding for Pegasus will go towards the creation of a dedicated team of specialist analysts and intelligence officers to work within OPAL, the national policing team that oversees intelligence on serious organised acquisitive crime.
OPAL is run by Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Taylor and overseen by North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman.
The Co-op stands ready to work with every police force to ensure our colleagues and the shops they work in can continue to serve their communities.
Recruitment has already started, and the team will be operational later this month, delivering outcomes across the country by the New Year.
Pegasus will deliver a new digital interface to streamline information sharing between retailers and the police and also provide training for retailers on appropriate information and intelligence to share with policing.
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Acquisitive Crime, says: "Dealing with retail crime requires a multi-faceted approach and through the launch of Pegasus, plus the Retail Crime Action Plan, we have bolstered the policing response to tackling offenders and supporting retailers in reducing shoplifting and attacks on retail staff.
"We welcome the collaboration between retailers, police and crime commissioners and policing through Project Pegasus which centralises intelligence and enhances our ability to identify and tackle the groups involved.
"We continue to target those prolific and habitual offenders whose behaviour causes misery and takes profit from our communities and retailers.
Local police forces assess each report through a threat, harm and risk model to determine their police response and will deploy resources where they can be most effective in catching offenders and keeping people safe."
Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board Secretariat Director of the Co-op, comments: "The Co-op has long called for greater police prioritisation so they tackle the rampant rise in retail crime especially those involving violence or prolific offenders; this is now what happens at present as our colleagues see every day.
"We, therefore, welcome the commitments in the ‘Retail Crime Action Plan’ to attend incidents of violence, incidents where offenders have been detained and ensure all evidence is collected so every reasonable line of enquiry can be followed.
"Alongside Operation Pegasus, which the Co-op is helping to fund, we are hopeful that this will mark the point at which the police will provide the support to protect shopworkers and shops so they can help the communities they serve thrive.
"The Co-op stands ready to work with every police force to ensure our colleagues and the shops they work in can continue to serve their communities.
Katy Bourne, PCC and APCC National Lead for Business and Retail Crime, says: "Pegasus will be a game changer in the fight against retail crime providing for the first time an accurate national picture of the organised groups from local families to cross border criminals driving organised shop theft.
"Retailers will agree ways to capture information that can be shared and analysed to create intelligence packages for police forces to target and track perpetrators.
I am very grateful to all the contributors to Pegasus and to Mitie in particular for helping to get Pegasus airborne."
Jason Towse, Managing Director of Business Services at Mitie, which supplies security guards for several retailers participating in Pegasus, believes the collaboration and new measures from the government will be a game changer for combatting rising retail crime.
He says: "By working in partnership, to combine industry knowledge with policing powers, the public and private sectors can tackle retail crime at its source, creating safer communities for us all to live, shop and work."
Nicki Juniper, Head of Security for the John Lewis Partnership, adds: "While there’s no silver bullet for tackling retail crime, we welcome this significant step forward.
Retail crime is not victimless, it has an impact on Partners, customers and on prices.
By working in partnership, to combine industry knowledge with policing powers, the public and private sectors can tackle retail crime at its source, creating safer communities for us all to live, shop and work in.
"We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with police and others in the sector to keep our Partners and customers safe."
