A system trialled by retailers including Greggs has quadrupled the number of shoplifters being brought to justice in London.
Retailers can use the system to submit CCTV footage, witness statements and other evidence directly to officers, which enables them to build cases against offenders more quickly.
The Metropolitan Police said officers might have had to wait more than four weeks for CCTV and statements but can now get that evidence in minutes.
Figures released by the Met this week show that where shoplifting is reported using the new tech, 29.4% of cases resulted in a caution, charge or other criminal disposal. The Met average before the introduction of the system was 7.3%.
Among the cases that originated with reports using the new system was that of 55-year-old Michael Belgrave, of no fixed address. Belgrave was sentenced on 12 June at Ealing Magistrates’ Court to nine months imprisonment and made subject to a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) after stealing more than £4,000 of goods from stores including Greggs and BP. The CBO bans him from entering any branch of Holland & Barrett, Greggs or BP across England and Wales.
The system, which has been piloted in six London boroughs, has been expanded to a further eight boroughs from this week with more to follow in the coming months.
“The results speak for themselves,” said Met business crime lead chief inspector Rav Pathania. “This crime reporting technology is helping us identify offenders faster and bring more shoplifters to justice.
“Reported shoplifting offences across London are down by almost 4%, but we’re not taking our foot off the pedal as evidenced by this continued use of new tech.”
Shoplifting has been an ongoing problem for many bakery businesses, with Greggs last year revealing some of its London sites had moved all food and drink items from its self-serve chillers to behind the counter.
“This is one of a number of initiatives we are trialling across a handful of shops which are exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour,” said a company statement at the time. “The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority.”
Wenzel’s The Bakers has taken similar action this year, transitioning some shops from a traditional self-service layout to a counter-service model where all items are displayed behind the counter and served by employees.
Operations director Ross Robins described the results so far as “extremely encouraging”.
“Incidents have reduced, sales have increased and, most importantly, our teams feel safer. Some competitors have already asked about the new set-up with a view to copying elements of it in their own shops.”
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