Most shoplifting committed by just 20 culprits
FEWER than 20 people are responsible for 80% of shoplifting in Middlesbrough town centre, the council’s chief executive has said.
Tony Parkinson updated members of Middlesbrough Council’s overview and scrutiny board on ‘Operation Banton’ – a six-week blitz on crime and antisocial behaviour in the town centre involving the local authority and the police, which began on June 15.
Mr Parkinson said council wardens had dealt with 242 incidents of antisocial behaviour since then.
There had been 148 arrests, 36 of those for theft, along with 34 stop and searches carried out and 18 community protection/warning notices issued. Forty-seven ‘instructions’ had also been issued to members of the public and three fixed penalty notices were given out.
Mr Parkinson said: “The feedback from the retailers over the last five weeks is that things have been a lot better, but we are definitely not there. We haven’t yet got the confidence in the town centre that we want to generate, but there is a real momentum now.”
The chief executive described how town centre businesses often complained that the real-life picture did not stack up with the police’s view of events and an “evidential narrative” was required to challenge statistics on reported crimes.
Mr Parkinson said a recent meeting with retailers saw the issue of court sentencing being raised and the possibility of a court users group being set up was being considered to try to ensure maximum sentences were applied within the guidelines.
He said: “There are a relatively small number of individuals who, for example, are responsible for shoplifting in the town centre.
“There are less than 20 people responsible for 80% of shoplifting in the town centre and they are all on this hamster wheel of getting caught, getting sentenced, spending a couple of weeks in jail, then being back out shoplifting again. The impact of that on the economy is huge.”
Cheap alcohol was another issue raised in the retailers’ meeting with complaints about people drinking outside shops and becoming intoxicated. Mr Parkinson said: “We are looking at whether we can limit the sale of cheap alcohol, although that will take some time to deliver, we may be able to get to a place where there is a minimum unit price for alcohol for example.”
The council wants to see a more “joined up” approach to security in Middlesbrough town centre – some enforcement activities being undertaken by private security firms – and
making sure that they all at least speak to each other through a retail crime partnership. It has also reintroduced the use of talking CCTV cameras, which allow operators to speak to passers by and warn them of anti-social behaviour, and these have been used 17 times since the start of Operation Banton.
Mr Parkinson further said it was planning to extend a current public spaces protection order for the town centre, which aims to ensure public spaces can be enjoyed free from antisocial behaviour.
He said: “We need to provide reassurance to retailers about the stuff that is going on, the actions being
taken and the improvements made.”
Middlesbrough Council has previously adopted a town centre strategy to encourage more people to live and work in the town centre and access leisure facilities and Mr Parkinson said there was “loads of investment” being made.
Discussions have taken place with town centre businesses, Teesside University and Middlesbrough College with a number of measures being agreed, including reducing crime and antisocial behaviour, improving the built environment and public realm, improving access and transport, as well as lighting and signage.