Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones and Chief Constable Scott Chilton have today (Wednesday) unveiled how they are turning the tide on retail crime and shoplifting, reporting an 83.3% increase in outcomes for victims. As part of Safer Business Action (SaBA) month, both leaders are reiterating their commitment to answer calls from business owners to crack down on shop theft. Since the force returned to a geographic model of policing, officers are more connected to their communities, with a real focus on tackling the crime that has the biggest impact and causes the most harm. Following the launch of the Retail Crime Action Plan, and with the introduction of City Centre Units last year, more offenders are being charged and appearing before the court each week. Key to this success is utilising facial recognition technology to quickly identify and take action against suspects caught on camera. The force has also made inroads by working closer with the retail community through a force wide initiative Op Stopall, which is tackling the most prolific retail offenders by working with the business community to gather evidence on repeat retail crime offenders. The initiative is enabling officers to improve their response and service to victims by building stronger cases which result in fewer court hearings because offenders are pleading guilty at the first opportunity, due to the weight of the evidence provided. So far through Op Stopall, 248 offences have been reported, 10 offenders have been charged with 176 offences and there are currently 5 individuals under investigation for another 72 offences. This has increased the reporting of shop theft across the 2 counties, which the Chief and Commissioner say is a clear sign of increased confidence in the policing response. With the increase in police officer numbers over the last three years, police are rising to the challenge to restore confidence. 
“Shoplifting across all communities has been increasing for several years. In the past, this crime has not been given the attention or priority it deserves. “I am pleased that today, the Chief and I are able to make a lasting commitment to every law-abiding person in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. That commitment is clear; shoplifting will not be tolerated. It will be investigated. The force will find thieves and bring them to justice. If you assault retail workers, or threaten them, you can expect to be brought to justice. “We need to send a clear message, and as Police and Crime Commissioner, for me it’s simple. If you steal, you will be punished. If you need help with a drug addiction or an alcohol addition, support is available for you. However if you don’t take advantage of that support, shoplifting is no longer going to be an easy option.”
Chief Constable Scott Chilton said:
“It is not acceptable for retail staff to come to work and fear criminality, anti-social behaviour or violence. “If left unchecked, we know that retail crime can put shops out of business, causing people to lose their jobs and lead to a deterioration of the local area, which only serves to further increase crime and put more shops out of business. “The increase in reports shows that the business community now has more confidence to report incidents to us because we will take action. All reasonable lines of enquiry will be pursued to identify offenders, secure available evidence, seek to recover property and ensure witnesses are identified and interviewed.
Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has welcomed the news. He’s said:
“I welcome this zero-tolerance approach to stop offenders from spreading fear and causing harm in our communities. “Retail staff should not have to put up with threats and abuse from these offenders and everyone should feel safe in their communities. “I am pleased that the policing approach is changing. We now have 30 more police officers on the Island, and they are becoming increasingly more visible and connected with communities. It’s what Islanders said they wanted and I am glad it’s happening.”
Unless the culprits are jailed than be given the usual weak suspended sentences little will change…
You should have to show your id beg you go in a shop. If you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got no argument against this.
It’s not communist Russia!!! I like my freedom. And NO, I have nothing to hide…
They did a good job at rookley yesterday getting 5 shoplifters that tried to run handcuffed and took to jail
Isn’t that the whole population of Rookley?
They tried to escape on the bus but the police got there first lol
They tried to escape on the bus!!!! They must be criminal masterminds!
Rookley does house some rogues
Err, should that not be their stance all the time. So before now they just been letting them go.
Well I think these vile scum should be sent back ! I mean they come over here on those boats to use our welfare system taking our houses and breeding more little piggies who in turn grow up to breed more little piggies..why aren’t they drug tested ?they all need to be locked up in Gabon cages. Blah blah blah…
Sent back to Ryde and Newport obviously. These are all local scum.
“We need to send a clear message, and as Police and Crime Commissioner, for me it’s simple. If you steal, you will be punished.
..
really – we will see, actions speak louder than words
Isn’t that what the cops are supposed to do: “Steal, and you will be punished?” Why do we need Donna to continually tell us what we already know? PCCs are a waste of space.
But only poor people, if a business steels it’s fine.
(Wage theft is the biggest form of theft)
Step 1. Detain smackhead for shoplifting, Step 2. Fit covert tracker to clothing, Step 3. Arrest smack dealer
Every time Jones makes an announcement like this, her glowing neon silhouette should be beamed in the night sky above the island for 7 days.
If we got rid of Donna we cold probably get another 2 Bobbies on the beat.
Apparently she has about 10 staff in the office of the PCC, so probably a few more.
5 more at least, her excessive salary and pension would pay for that.
I agree with you. I don’t see the value of PCCs across the country. Indeed, a Chief Constable is all that is needed. Why do we need someone else to interfere? Just allow the Chief Constable to do their job instead of PCCs sticking in their nose. The impact of these PCCs causes Chief Constables to tip-toe around them, waiting for them to fall.
What about the crime of charging persons 50p to use a toilet on the island,
yet to mention £102.00 a year for our garden waste to be collected.
(Most expensive in the country)
Yet not a crime!
Lol! On Mon 19th Feb I witnessed and recorded 3 youths enter M&S Cowes and steal 6 bottles of alcohol. I phoned 999. The police wouldn’t even come out! There’ll be clear cctv evidence. Why are we all paying for our shopping!!! M&S staff are advised to ‘not confront shoplifters’.
She’s a non entity really. Her job was created to mask huge cuts to our police force. She costs way more than she saves and is nothing more than a Tory pawn. Get rid of her and her staff and channel that money straight into the Police. They know where it needs to be spent.