From regular conversations with shop owners, I know the impact retail crimes not only have on a company’s bottom line, but on staff and communities targeted. Theft causes emotional anguish for shopkeepers who put significant time and resources into starting their businesses. It was one of the reasons I originally stood for this role.

It is therefore important to use Safer Business Action Week as an opportunity to highlight the great work Dorset Police do all year round to make our county a safe place for consumers and entrepreneurs looking to continue and indeed to begin commercial ventures.

Both locally and nationally, shoplifting is on the rise and thorough analysis of the issue in Dorset shows that a small core of prolific offenders commit the bulk of retail crime, with each offender being responsible for numerous offences. But thanks to making it a priority in my Police and Crime Plan, Dorset Police now have a strategic plan, tactical plan and operations in place to address this.

I will pass over to Inspector at Dorset Police for BCP, Sophie Williams, to explain what the Force are doing to deter criminals and protect stores across the county:

Dorset Police take a proactive approach to catching shoplifters via initiatives such as Operation Shopkeeper, which help us better detect and prosecute prolific nominals.

It involves our Investigation Resolution Centre identifying offenders and collecting sufficient evidence including CCTV and statements. This allows us to collate information from incidents across various stores and charge a single offender with multiple offences in one go.

We are seeing longer sentences for shoplifters because there is a heavier pile of evidence against them when a judge reviews the case. Shoplifters can be put in prison for seven years in the most severe circumstances. Since November 2023, 32 prolific offenders in Dorset have been charged with 604 offences between them, while the number of high harm suspects decreased by 50%.

Funding from the PCC also saw four plain clothed officers out in Bournemouth during September for Operation Spotter, with 36 positive outcomes in relation to shoplifting.

Arrests are made for shoplifting, but there are other tools in an officer’s armoury available such as community resolutions or section 35 dispersal notices.

A community resolution involves recompense which could make an offender pay back the amount stolen and deliver an apology letter, while section 35 notices require offenders to leave the town centre for 48 hours. If the individual returns during that period, they will be arrested. However, these are normally reserved for first time offenders who have stolen goods of lower monetary value, rather than serial shoplifters.

We have a strong relationship in Bournemouth town centre with BCP security officers and their camera control room. That joined up approach is vital to achieving our common aim of relieving shops from the daily grind of losses incurred by shoplifting.

Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It has a detrimental impact on many, even on paying consumers who face rising prices because of shoplifting.

I urge staff and members of the public to report shoplifting incidents they witness as it may form part of a bigger picture and longer-term situation we are investigating. Any piece of information you provide may be the missing piece in a puzzle that has taken significant time to solve.

Thanks to Sophie for her insight into the challenges retailers face and explanation of what Dorset Police are doing to fight the criminals operating here.

Dorset now has two Business Crime Reduction Partnerships in BCP and Weymouth, who gather and share intelligence among shops and pass that information onto Dorset Police. Fighting shoplifting requires collaboration and that is what we now have here.

Only this week, I met with representatives of larger high street supermarkets and chain-stores to discuss how we can make our work to tackle shoplifting more dovetailed and symbiotic. Quite often, larger stores work in a different way to dealing with shoplifters and I want to see a real effective and efficient service for all - not just a section of the retail community.

I want to acknowledge the hard work Sophie and all the dedicated officers, staff and volunteers at Dorset Police, helping to reduce business crime. We want our high streets to be vibrant places for consumers to visit, and initiatives such as Safer Business Action Week will help our town centres continue to thrive. Those stealing from shops in Dorset will be caught and will face the consequences of their actions.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner