Officers secure another 43 charges for shop theft

Our officers continue to tackle shoplifting and assaults against retail workers.

“We want to make our high streets and shopping areas more pleasant for people to visit and work in.
“No-one should have to work in fear of being abused or assaulted.”
PC Alex Plakhtienko, of our specialist Business Crime Team

Last week, 24 people were arrested on suspicion of shop theft across the county, with 15 subsequently being charged with a total of 43 counts of shop theft. Three of those were also charged with assault.

Business crime officers work with the retail community to stress the importance of reporting shop theft, abuse and violence against staff.

And, together with our designing out crime officers, they provide individual stores with tailored crime prevention and security advice. All this work comes under the banner of Open For Business, Closed For Crime.

Between 14 September 2023 and 24 March 2024, our officers made 730 arrests for shop theft* across Essex.

Six people were arrested in the Harlow district between 18 and 24 March; five in Colchester; three each in the Basildon and Chelmsford districts; two each in Southend, Tendring and Thurrock; and one in Brentwood.

One person arrested last week was cautioned for shop theft offences and four received community resolutions. Cases involving four others are still being investigated while no further action will be taken against another.

For more information about how our business crime officers can help your business, visit our Business Crime pages.

* Arrests for shop theft. This relates to the number of arrests our officers have made. A person may have been arrested more than once for theft from a shop during the time period. And they may have been arrested for more than one offence.

 

Community resolutions

Community resolutions enable the police to deal with certain offences and offenders outside the formal criminal justice process. The victim and the investigating officer decide on the appropriate resolution, which ranges from apologising to the victim or offering to pay compensation to clearing up graffiti or repairing criminal damage.

The offender must admit their guilt but a CR is not classed as a conviction and doesn’t result in a criminal record. However, the fact someone has been subject to a CR can be taken into consideration if further offences are committed.

At Essex Police, we value difference. We know we’re strongest when we work together. And we want a workforce that represents our communities. 

If you share our values and want to help people, keep people safe and catch criminals, then join us as a police officer, member of staff, special constable or volunteer.

Find out if you #FitTheBill by visiting our careers page.