Joint effort delivers early wins against retail crime in Salisbury

A toughened approach to shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in Salisbury is being hailed as proof that retail crime can be tackled successfully when businesses, police and councils work together. A coordinated crackdown has delivered early results, strengthening the case for closer partnership working to stem the rise in theft on the high street.

The Business Crime Reduction Partnership, coordinated by the OPCC, has brought together retailers, Wiltshire Police and local authorities to improve intelligence-sharing and speed up the flow of evidence. The initiative comes as police leaders warn that too many cases are being undermined by a failure to provide CCTV and witness statements.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Rav Pathania, head of business crime at the Metropolitan Police Service, said investigations were being hampered because officers often do not receive the footage needed to identify suspects. Without that evidence, he warned, offenders are slipping through the net.

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