A partnership between the Co-op and Sussex Police has been credited with helping to bring at last five prolific offenders to justice in just a few months.
At least one man has been jailed as a result of the joint work – part of a pilot scheme aimed at making it quicker and easier for businesses to report crime.
The pilot scheme started less than six months ago after a survey of 100 businesses by Sussex police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne.
The survey found that firms reported as few as 8 per cent of offences to the police – and the findings helped lead to the “one touch reporting” pilot scheme.
The trial is working initially with 22 Co-op stores to find ways to simplify reporting processes, generate better intelligence, identify trends and reduce the impact of repeat offenders in communities.
Sussex Police has also recruited six business crime investigators and the force’s business crime lead Chris Neilson said: “We are keen to raise confidence among businesses by improving the way they engage with us and can report crimes in ways that work for them.
“Having an accurate picture of the crimes affecting businesses is vital and means we as a force can respond more effectively, especially in the way we target repeat offenders.
“In particular, we want to focus on bringing to justice those who believe they can use threats and violence against shopworkers.”
Mrs Bourne’s office said: “As a result, Sussex Police are seeing a threefold increase in reports, with the additional information and intelligence gathered resulting in the arrest of five prolific offenders.”
The police and crime commissioner and the Co-op ran a Keep Christmas Kind campaign at the end of last year, highlighting some of the verbal and physical abuse faced by shop staff.
One of those to speak out was a store manager from Brighton and Hove after the Co-op reported a rise in abuse and assaults involving staff during the covid pandemic.
The British Retail Consortium nationally asked shoppers to be respectful to shop staff as thousands of stores prepare to reopen tomorrow (Monday 12 April) after the latest coronavirus lockdown.
Locally, Co-op divisional managing director Peter Batt said: “There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our colleagues – no one should have to face violence and abuse just for doing their job. It has a lasting impact not only physically but also on their mental wellbeing.
“By working together, we are all seeing better outcomes. Police have now attributed the arrest of five prolific local offenders to the success of this scheme so far, reducing the impact that repeat offenders have in our communities.
“Alongside this, we continue to call for government to show that it is listening and to introduce greater protection for shop workers with stiffer sentencing sending out a clear message that violence, abuse and anti-social behaviour is just not acceptable.”
However, however, it won’t make that much difference. Judges are so out of touch with reality, giving such paltry sentences to persistant and often dangerous offenders.
Another Katy Bourne press release that is published without being questioned.
Apparently seeing a rise in reported crime is good. Does this mean shops haven’t bothered reporting crime because they don’t expect a response ?
Does it mean crime is rising ?
In the town centre you’ll see every shop has a security guard, there are roving security ambassadors, we now have Covid Marshalls and the litter Police.
It seems like we’ve given up on Sussex Police enforcing the law and have to pay for a private companies