Our retail crime commitment

The impact of retail crime on direct victims, the retail sector, and our wider communities is significant, and tackling this criminality is a priority for Surrey Police.

From shop owners who have spent years building up their independent business to a 16-year-old working a Saturday shift at their local store and an elderly woman who fears going to the shop for a paper, the breadth of those affected by criminals out to target our retail premises is vast.

It is simply incorrect to say that retail offences are ‘victimless’ crimes. In reality, this type of offending creates fear and unease, and it is the duty of police to investigate crimes where they occur, reassure communities, and pursue offenders to get justice.

As a Force, Surrey aims to achieve the values set out in both the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan and the Chief Constable’s Our Plan. Both set stock in ‘back-to-basics’ policing, with a focus on preventing crime, problem-solving, thorough and careful investigations, and the relentless pursuit of criminals.

Relentless pursuit

Retail crime, such as shoplifting, often comes with a level of intimidation and threat from the offender, leaving people frightened in their own workplace or community.

Addressing spikes in this type of offending is a Force-wide effort, and over the coming pages, you’ll read about some of the work done by officers based in Neighbourhood Policing Teams to bring criminals to justice.

Earlier this year, Surrey Police unveiled its new retail crime strategy for the county.

The strategy

The strategy is based around:

• Responding appropriately
• Investigating thoroughly
• Working with retailers to prevent crime where possible

It incorporates feedback from the business community which was given as part of the retail crime survey.

It isn’t unusual for organised crime groups, or OCGs, to be complicit in retail crime alongside other types of criminality, all of which directly impact society in a number of harmful ways.

Crime prevention

By tackling retail crime head on, it is hoped that our officers and investigation teams can also prevent other OCG-related crime from happening across our county.

It is about building a wider picture of retail crime, gathering vital intelligence, investigating and responding in order to shut down lines of criminality.

Police must work with communities and businesses to prevent retail crime from happening in our town centres – places everyone should be able to enjoy, and where they should feel safe.

Previous

Next