Co-op urges candidates for police and crime chief to crack down on shop crime
THE Co-op has urged communities in Derbyshire blighted by retail crime to write to the region’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) candidates and call on them to commit to a crackdown on criminals.
The retailer says the industry has seen an unprecedented rise in crime driven by repeat offenders, and ahead of the PCC elections on Thursday, it is urging shop workers and communities to write to the candidates and call on them to commit to the following pledges:
Fully implement commitments in the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Retail Crime Action Plan;
Ensure the new standalone offence of assault against a shopworker is enforced and progress is reported through their police and crime plan.
The police and crime candidates in Derby are, in alphabetical order: Russell Armstrong (Reform UK); Angelique Foster (Conservative); David Hancock, (Lib Dems); Nicolle Ndiweni (Labour & Co-op).
The Co-op says colleagues and member-owners have campaigned for six years to call for change following unprecedented levels of retail crime as criminals seemingly act with impunity.
Last October saw the launch of NPCC’s Retail Crime Action plan, which outlined an intention to ensure police attendance at serious incidents and that all evidence is collected so that every reasonable line of enquiry is followed.
Earlier this month, the Government announced plans to make assaulting a retail worker a standalone criminal offence in England and Wales.
The Co-op says this amendment
to the Criminal Justice Bill will, if enforced, build on the advancements seen to address crime, violence and intimidation since the introduction of the Retail Crime Action Plan last October.
It adds, however, that without the commitment of the PCCs to focus on retail crime, both of these new steps could face failure.
Paul Gerrard, the Co-op’s director of campaign and public affairs, said: ”Retail crime impacts shopworkers both physically and mentally, with many communities blighted by the unacceptable levels of persistent and prolific offending.
“Newly-elected PCCs have the opportunity to crack down on this crime through the implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan and by enforcing the new standalone offence of assaulting a shopworker we are calling on the next PCCs to deliver the protection that those working in retail and, serving communities in towns, villages and cities across the region deserve.”
Earlier this year, the Co-op revealed retail crime had hit record levels. This coincided with the launch of a new report commissioned by the Co-op, and written by Emmeline Taylor, professor of criminology at City, University of London, which set out a plan focused on turning the tide on prolific offenders. Central to the report’s recommendations was making an attack on shopworkers a stand-alone offence.
Co-op says it has invested more than £200million over recent years in colleague and store safety and security, this includes CCTV; bodyworn cameras; the fortified kiosks; dummy (or empty) packaging to deter bulk-theft and specially trained guards to detain criminals.