The South West is blighted by shop theft – with incidents 50% higher than five years ago. 30% of independent convenience stores in the South West – which make up 70% of the total convenience sector – have reported an increase in shop theft.
The cost to a typical Devon and Cornwall convenience store amounts to £2574 annually – and retailers are having to invest thousands in their own security measures to prevent theft, attacks on staff and anti-social behaviour.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has recommended a range of policy changes such as shoplifting ‘most wanted’ lists, and I hope these will be reviewed and considered. But we need more than this.
The LibDems want to steer a return to proper community policing, not just a sticking plaster approach that has seen a handful of front desks reopened in our region. It is vital that the police strengthens bonds with local communities to prevent crime and improve safety.
We also need to see the police tackling anti-social behaviour around local shops. The Conservatives have failed on crime, with the public and overstretched police officers left to bear the burden. There are huge backlogs in the courts which are denying victims the justice they deserve and it’s clear we need action on prosecution rates. We heard recently that as many as three quarters of burglaries remain unsolved in our region – but the problem also applies to shoplifting.
I’m fighting not just for fair funding but also for smarter spending, and effective crime reduction strategies such as restorative justice, tackling prolific offenders, and evidence-driven policing.
See the ACS press release here: https://www.acs.org.uk/press-releases/shop-theft-record-smashed-local-shops-face-retail-crime-crisis
