98% rise in charges for Thames Valley shoplifting offences

From April 1, 2023, to October 13, 2023, there were 852 charges, which rose to 1691 charges from April 1 this year to October 13.

Thames Valley police and crime commissioner, Matthew Barber, welcomed the news, describing it as "real progress".

He said: "I'm pleased to see real progress in tackling shoplifting with an increase of over 90 per cent in charges for shoplifting offences across the Thames Valley."

The increase is a result of the Retail Crime Strategy, introduced at the start of the year, Mr Barber said.

Matthew Barber said "I hope these latest figures demonstrate that... we are working hard to improve the police response to these offences" (Image: Thames Valley Police) The strategy aimed to tackle shoplifting, retail crime, and violence towards shop workers.

It included the creation of a Business Crime Team within the force to identify prolific offenders and improve investigations.

Mr Barber said: "Combined with an increase in the visible presence of police officers and police community support officers in retail spaces through Operation Purchase, this operational focus on retail crime is clearly paying dividends.

“However, as with all crime, enforcement forms only one part of the response.

"A core part of my Retail Crime Strategy was to make reporting shoplifting offences easier and more efficient for retailers."

To facilitate this, Mr Barber funded the rollout of Disc, an information-sharing and reporting platform.

The app, which is now available free of charge to businesses in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Milton Keynes, allows retailers to report and access information about crime such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

More than 500 premises across the Thames Valley have already signed up.

Mr Barber said: "This is an excellent start but the more retailers that use the platform and feed in vital intelligence, the better the policing response will be."

The statistics were shared at the start of Safer Business Action Week, a week of action that brings together retailers, business groups like Business Reduction Partnerships and Business Improvement Districts, and the police to deliver targeted intervention in retail spaces in addition to a range of crime prevention activity.

Mr Barber is taking part in various activities as part of the week including promoting Disc to retailers in Didcot on Monday, October 14, and speaking at a meeting of the Buckinghamshire Business Group.

Community policing command, Chief Inspector Stewart Codling, said: "These statistics highlight the progress we are making in dealing with this issue, but our work doesn’t stop here.

"We will be focused on working with our partners and communities to create a hostile environment for those who commit retail crime."