Retail crime work sees positive outcomes increase with thousands of shoplifters arrested each year

Officers across Greater Manchester are continuing to secure more arrests and positive outcomes as part of their work tackling shoplifting and retail crime.

In the 12 months until the end of April this year, officers across Greater Manchester secured 3,881 arrests for shoplifting offences.

This ranged from incidents within corner stores to systematic organised shoplifting at larger supermarkets. This was an increase of more than 220 from the 12 months prior.

There was also a fall in shoplifting crimes reported, with a solved outcome increase of nearly 400.

While we are continuing to improve our policing response to shoplifting reports, teams across Greater Manchester are increasing their overall policing offering for all manner of retail crimes.

This includes supporting campaigns raising awareness of workers who face harassment and abuse, regularly visiting businesses to implement preventative measures, and working with relevant partners to secure punishments for offenders.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams, who regularly engage with local businesses, are constantly working on new ways to improve partnerships and build better relations across their districts.

This includes exploring ways in which offenders can both be punished and supported – Criminal Behaviour Orders or signposting to services as necessary.

Work across Greater Manchester can target all manner of criminality – including illicit activity by businesses themselves. To that end, we regularly conduct work with Trading Standards to stamp out illegal and dangerous dealings.

Our investigations and work in recent months have seen a gang jailed for a series of business burglaries and robberies (Gang who targeted businesses and homes jailed for million-pound robbery conspiracy | Greater Manchester Police), arrests secured in an investigation into co-ordinated shoplifting (Seven people arrested over plans to target high-end retail sector through coordinated national activity | Greater Manchester Police), and closure orders granted for stores (Three men arrested following warrants in the city centre and North Manchester | Greater Manchester Police).

As part of Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action which began on Monday (15 June), teams across every district will be proactively tackling retail crimes and providing further support for businesses.

Superintendent Cara Charlesworth, force lead for retail crime at GMP, said: “The past year has seen continued improvements in tackling everything from shoplifting to illicit business practices.

“The thousands of arrests are accompanied by an ever-present neighbourhood policing offering – in which officers across every single district proactively tackle and deal with all manner of issues that businesses and workers want us to take action on.

“In addition, our work with partners – from council ASB teams to charities – ensures we take a robust yet bespoke approach to any issue, dealing with them as appropriately and effectively as possible.

“This week, you can expect neighbourhood officers, supported by other teams where necessary, taking action across the force. I would urge any businesses or workers with any concerns to get in touch with their local teams.”