Category: Serious and Organised Crime

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend with a member of coop staff

Organised crime is fuelling “abhorrent” abuse and violence against shopworkers, Surrey’s Commissioner warns in meetings with retailers

Posted on | by Alex Winter

SHOPWORKERS are being attacked and abused amid a nation-wide boom in shoplifting fuelled by organised criminals, Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner has warned.

Lisa Townsend blasted “abhorrent” violence against retail workers as Respect for Shopworkers Week, organised by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), got underway on Monday.

The Commissioner has met with retailers in Oxted, Dorking and Ewell in the past week to hear about the impact crime has on retailers.

Lisa heard some staff have been assaulted when trying to stop shoplifters, with the crime acting as a flashpoint for violence, abuse and anti-social behaviour.

Criminals are stealing to order, workers say, with laundry supplies, wine and chocolates targeted most frequently. Profits made from shoplifting across the UK are used in the commission of other serious offences, including drug trafficking, police believe.

‘Abhorrent’

Surrey has among the fewest reports of shoplifting in the country. However, Lisa said the offence is often linked to “unacceptable and disgusting” violence and verbal abuse.

One retailer told the Commissioner: “As soon as we try to challenge shoplifting, it can open the door to abuse.

“The safety of our workers is paramount, but it makes us feel powerless.”

Lisa said: “Shoplifting is often viewed as a victimless crime but it’s far from it and can have a significant impact on businesses, their staff and the surrounding community.

“Retail workers across the country provided a vital lifeline to our communities during the Covid pandemic and it’s crucial that we take care of them in return.

“So I find it hugely concerning to hear about the unacceptable and abhorrent violence and abuse suffered by shopworkers. The victims of these offences are not statistics, they are hard-working members of society who are suffering just for doing their job.

Commissioner’s anger

“I have been out speaking to businesses in Oxted, Dorking and Ewell over the last week to hear about their experiences and I am committed to working with our police teams to address the concerns that were raised.

“I know Surrey Police are committed to tackling this issue and a big part of the new Chief Constable Tim De Meyer’s plan for the Force is to concentrate on what policing does best – fighting crime and protecting people.

“This includes focusing on some of those crime types such as shoplifting which is what the public want to see.

“The links between shoplifting and serious organised criminality prove how vital it is for police across the country to get a grip on shoplifting. We need a co-ordinated approach to tackle this issue so I am pleased to hear that there are plans for a specialist police team to be set up nationally to target shoplifting as a ‘high-harm’ cross-border crime.

“I would urge all retailers to keep reporting incidents to police so resources can be allocated to where they are needed most.”

In October, the government launched the Retail Crime Action Plan, which includes a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting when violence is committed against shop workers, where security guards have detained an offender, or when evidence is needed to secure evidence.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend with representatives from USDAW and Co-op employee Amila Heenatigala at the store in Ewell

Paul Gerrard, Co-op’s Director of Public Affairs, said: “Safety and security is a clear priority for Co-op, and we are pleased that the serious issue of retail crime, which impacts our communities so dramatically, has been acknowledged.

“We’re invested in colleague and store safety, and we welcome the ambition of the Retail Crime Action Plan, but there is a long way to go. Actions must match the words and we urgently need to see the changes take place so the desperate calls to police from frontline colleagues are responded to and the criminals start to realise there are real consequences to their actions.”

According to an USDAW survey of 3,000 members, 65 per cent of those who responded have been verbally abused at work, while 42 per cent have been threatened and five per cent have suffered a direct assault.

The union’s general secretary Paddy Lillis said six in ten incidents were triggered by shoplifting – and warned the offence is “not a victimless crime”.

To report an ongoing emergency to Surrey Police, call 999. Reports can also be made via 101 or the digital 101 channels.

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner logo

Deputy Commissioner praises proactive Surrey Police operation after 68 arrests made

Posted on | by Alex Winter

AN OPERATION to target criminals exploiting major road and rail networks to commit serious and acquisitive crime resulted in 68 arrests between the 10 – 12 October.

During the operation, nine police forces worked together to share intelligence and co-ordinate resources to pursue high harm criminals and disrupt organised crime groups operating across borders.

Officers from Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, the Met, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and the British Transport Police participated in the operation.

This included the deployment of specialist units such as intelligence, covert, police dogs and the National Police Air Service, who worked together with officers on the ground to pursue criminals travelling between counties to commit serious crime.

The operation also resulted in:

  • 26 weapons being seized;
  • Over £9,000 in cash being seized;
  • 51 vehicles being seized;
  • 66 instances in which drugs being seized.

Criminals suspected of operating county line networks, carrying out organised burglaries and thefts of high value cars were among some of those who found themselves in handcuffs last week.

Detective Inspector James Ansell, who co-ordinated the operation, said: “Whilst we work across borders and share intelligence with neighbouring forces all year-round, this operation was an intensive effort to pursue some of the south-east’s most dangerous criminals.

“Organised crime groups exploit the most vulnerable and bring violence and misery to our communities, which is why putting a stop to serious and acquisitive crime is a priority we all share.

“Our work does not stop here, and criminals should know that we will relentlessly pursue them until they are brought to justice and our communities are safeguarded from their deplorable crimes.”

Surrey’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Ellie Vesey-Thompson, joined officers on patrol in the north of the county on Wednesday night.

She said: “During the evening, I had the opportunity to see first-hand the incredible work officers do to tackle serious criminality, both in Surrey and further afield.

“This teamwork approach with other forces around the country allows our offices to disrupt the cross-border criminal activity that does so much harm to vulnerable victims.

“Coordinating our resources and sharing intelligence further equips Surrey Police to tackle a huge range of offences, including county lines drug dealing, violence against women and girls, and burglary.

“Making sure residents here in Surrey not only are safe, but feel safe too, is a key priority for the Commissioner and I, and proactive operations like this are key in helping to achieve that goal.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend

“We must drive criminal gangs and their drugs out of our communities in Surrey” – PCC Lisa Townsend hails ‘county lines’ crackdown

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The new Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has hailed a week of action to crackdown on ‘county lines’ criminality as an important step in the effort to drive drug gangs out of Surrey.

Surrey Police, together with partner agencies, carried out pro-active operations across the county and in neighbouring areas to disrupt the activities of criminal networks.

Officers made 11 arrests, seized drugs including crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis and recovered weapons including knives and a converted handgun as the county played its part in a national ‘Intensification Week’ to target organised drug crime.

Eight warrants were executed and officers seized cash, 26 mobile phones and disrupted at least eight ‘county lines’ as well as identifying and/or safeguarding 89 young or vulnerable people.

In addition, police teams across the county were out in communities raising awareness of the issue with over 80 educational visits made.

For more information on the action taken in Surrey – click here.

County lines is the name given to drug dealing which involves highly organised criminal networks using phone lines to facilitate the supply of class A drugs – such as heroin and crack cocaine.

The lines are valuable commodities to dealers, and are protected with extreme violence and intimidation.

She said: “County lines continues to be a growing threat to our communities so the kind of police intervention we saw last week is vital to disrupting the activities of these organised gangs.

The PCC joined local officers and PCSOs in Guildford last week where they teamed up with Crimestoppers on the last leg of their ad-van tour of the county warning the public of the danger signs.

“These criminal networks seek to exploit and groom young and vulnerable people to act as couriers and dealers and often use violence to control them.

“As lockdown restrictions ease over this summer, those involved in this sort of criminality might see that as an opportunity. Tackling this important issue and driving these gangs out of our communities is going to be a key priority for me as your PCC.

“Whilst the targeted police action last week will have sent a strong message out to county lines drug dealers – that effort must be sustained going forward.

“We all have a part to play in that and I would ask our communities in Surrey to remain vigilant to any suspicious activity that could be related to drug dealing and report it immediately. Equally, if you know of anyone being exploited by these gangs – please pass that information to police, or anonymously to Crimestoppers, so that action can be taken.”

More PCC funding to tackle burglaries and catalytic converter thefts in Surrey

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey David Munro has provided additional funding to help Surrey Police prevent burglaries and catalytic converter thefts.

£14,000 from the PCC’s Community Safety Fund has been provided to enable local Surrey Police teams to develop targeted operations with the new Surrey Police Prevention and Problem Solving Team across six boroughs.

An additional £13,000 has been allocated to the Serious and Organised Crime Unit to work with the team to tackle a steep rise in catalytic converter thefts from vehicles in the county.

The problem solving team was paid for by the PCC’s increase to the policing element of local council tax in 2019-2020, alongside more police officers and staff in Surrey’s communities.

The county saw the fourth largest increase in catalytic converter thefts in the country in 2020, rising to over 1,100 incidents since April. Surrey Police records an average of eight domestic burglaries a day.

Working closely with the Prevention and Problem Solving Team enables officers to identify new trends and inform a bespoke approach based on the analysis of multiple incidents.

This involves a new way of thinking about crime prevention that is data led, and leads to a longer term reduction in crime.

Embedding a problem solving approach in the planning of operations saves time and money later on; with fewer but more targeted actions.

Analysis for new operations to prevent burglaries included actions such as reviewing every single crime committed in a target area in winter 2019.

Responses informed by the team and funded by the PCC include increased patrols and deterrents in specific locations where it is believed they will have the most impact. The distribution of catalytic converter marking kits and greater awareness of this crime will be carried out by local police.

PCC David Munro said: “Burglary is a devastating crime that has a long lasting impact on individuals, and is one of the main concerns expressed by local residents. Catalytic converter thefts have also increased in recent months.

“I know from our recent community events that this is a key concern of residents.

“As the problem solving team heads into its second year, I’m continuing to increase the resources available to Surrey Police to build on the improvements being made. This includes more analysts and investigators to lead problem solving across the Force, and more police officers in local teams to drive crime down.”

Chief Inspector and Prevention and Problem Solving Lead Mark Offord said: “Surrey Police are fully committed to ensuring that our residents feel safe in their communities. We understand that the harm caused to victims of burglary goes far beyond the material loss of property, and can have far-reaching financial and emotional consequences.

“As well as proactively targeting the individuals committing these offences, our problem solving approach seeks to understand how and why crimes are committed, with the intention of employing crime prevention techniques that will make offending a riskier prospect for potential offenders.”

Individual operations funded by the PCC will form part of Force’s dedicated response to burglary county-wide.