Police and business leaders come together to tackle retail crime

Teams of officers across Nottinghamshire Police have taken part in a stacked calendar of events as they continue to tackle business and retail crime during a targeted week of action.

This week marks the National Business Crime Centre’s (NBCC) Safer Business Action Week (SaBA), with Nottinghamshire Police hosting a day of targeted activities in Nottingham city centre on October 16.

Industry leaders and business partners were invited to the conference to learn more about the force’s ongoing work to tackle business crime and protect retail staff and to discuss their concerns with specialist officers.

The focus on retail crime saw Nottinghamshire Police come together with businesses, supermarkets, charities, private security services, business improvement districts, and other partner organisations to develop stronger links with retailers.

Dozens of uniformed and plain-clothes officers from neighbourhood policing teams and British Transport Police patrolled hotspots such as retail parks, shopping centres, and high streets to identify and arrest individuals wanted on recall to prison or for outstanding shoplifting offences.

Chief Superintendent Sukesh Verma, Nottinghamshire Police’s head of local policing, and Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden hosted a business crime forum where retail leaders could speak with officers about their experiences and improve the reporting of crime.

However, prevention remains a key staple of Nottinghamshire Police’s approach to business and retail crime.

This includes addressing the underlying causes of why offenders shoplift by working closely with substance misuse and homelessness organisations to signpost vulnerable people into further support.

Staff from the force’s Prevention Hub, which includes crime prevention officers, were also available to speak with businesses to offer expert guidance and solutions to address problems such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

The Hub is a collaboration between multiple force departments responsible for developing and delivering strategies to prevent crime and disorder throughout the city and county.

Offenders were also made to clean graffiti, sweep rubbish, and collect litter as part of a community reparation scheme on Sussex Street during the day of action.

The project, known as Immediate Justice, ensures those who commit anti-social behaviour and low-level offences are made to give back to their community within days of their offence.

Business leaders also had the opportunity to join officers out on patrol across the city centre and witness policing first-hand to get a greater understanding of the proactive work being done to reduce retail crime.

In total, six people were arrested during the day of action in Nottingham city centre.

Three of which were arrested within an hour of a proactive plain clothes street offences team going out on patrol.

Two men were arrested in separate incidents after alcohol, chocolate and electrical items were stolen from Tesco and TK Maxx.

One woman was arrested, charged and remanded for being in breach of her bail conditions and another who was wanted for assault was arrested and found to be in possession of mamba.

Inspector Ollie Vale, Nottinghamshire Police’s business and retail crime lead, said: “Tackling acquisitive crime, like shoplifting, is a priority for the force as part of our retail crime action plan, which is why we are working daily with local businesses to arrest offenders and regularly participate in national weeks of action.

“Most shoplifting offences are committed by those who have complex needs, such as substance misuse, or organised criminal groups, who steal items in bulk to sell for profit.

“Help and support services must be available to vulnerable people, however, we will not hesitate to take action against both groups if they continue with their criminal behaviour.

“This day of action has been a real success with dozens of businesses visited and I’d like to thank our partners for their continued efforts to work with us to make Nottingham a safer place to live, visit and work.”

Alex Flint, CEO of Nottingham's business improvement district, It's in Nottingham, said: "We are fully committed to working with Nottinghamshire Police and loss-prevention teams in the city as they come together for a day of action to support businesses, reduce the impact of retail crime and make Nottingham a safer place for all."

Jenny Alleyne, head of operational risk and compliance at Co-op, said: “We know that shoplifting can also be a flashpoint for abuse and anti-social behaviour towards retail workers and, colleague safety is of paramount importance to us.

“This is why, alongside our significant investment in preventative measures, working closely with the Nottinghamshire Police team is key and we are delighted to partner with the latest SaBA day - supporting the force’s ongoing collaborative approach with Co-op and our shared focus on targeting retail crime.”

Lucy Brown, director of security for the John Lewis Partnership, said: "We have a zero-tolerance policy to crime, so are rolling out extra measures across John Lewis and Waitrose to prevent and prosecute criminals and keep our people safe. It's great to have the support of Nottinghamshire Police too."

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “It was great to attend both the SaBA day and Immediate Justice day of action to hear directly from city centre businesses and stakeholders. As well as see Immediate Justice in action as clean-up work was done in the city."