Cambridgeshire police says a specialist team to crack down on shoplifters is showing results. And it has released a podcast by the officers working on the team discussing the impact such crimes have on shop staff and the success achieved to date.
“For some shop staff, dealing with shoplifters is a daily occurrence which can leave them victim to violence and threatening behaviour,” said a police spokesperson.
“Luckily, DCI Denise Harper recognised the need for action to deal with these types of offenders, and so she put in place the force’s first Spree Offender Team.”
In the latest episode of the Cambridgeshire police Prevention Podcast series, Denise and DS Dan Scott talk about the introduction of the team, and its impact since it was launched in September 2023.
You can listen or watch the full episode to hear them provide an insightful overview of the real impact of spree offending and how they have succeeded to change.
The link is here:
You Tube – https://youtu.be/EJMY7Ob6d6Y
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/2wqNk946gEUlkJxvjvhA3s
Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cambs-cops-our-stories/id1578681690
Amazon Music – https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e28b41c-b10a-4257-a8a2-443213caa521
DS Dan Scott says he is the first to admit he underestimated the impact retail crime has on those working in the industry.
“While the financial cost to the industry is in the billions, with a misconception that perhaps this is a victimless crime the impact on individuals is significant,” he says.
DCI Harper said: “We launched the team because we wanted to deal with people quicker and more effectively.
“Working with partners to understand the cause of this offending – so dealing with people from a criminal perspective but also putting support in place to prevent future crime.”
DS Scott said: “Before moving into this role I had underestimated the impact this type of crime has. Some of these offenders are going into shops daily which has a massive impact on retail workers.”
Last October it was revealed that police in Cambridge had secured more than 1,000 charges as part of a crackdown on retail crime, bike theft and begging.
Since they started, officers had made 168 arrests and secured charges for 1,032 crimes including bike theft, criminal damage, possessions of knives and drugs, burglary, theft from motor vehicles, going equipped for theft and hundreds of shop lifting offences.
The team also secured Criminal Behaviour Orders for 12 prolific offenders, including four this month, preventing them from entering areas where they have previously committed crime.
