BBC News: Tackling shoplifting in Essex

BBC News came to Essex to see how we’re tackling shoplifting.

You can watch their full report on iPlayer – it was broadcast throughout the day on 30 January.

Officers from the Chelmsford community policing and town centre teams mounted one of their regular plain-clothes operations to tackle shoplifting in the city centre, while our specialist Business Crime officers spoke to retailers about their concerns and ways of improving store security and staff safety.

And this is what we want to do more of.

Community Policing Inspector Sam Girdlestone was joined by the BBC News film crew for part of the operation on 22 January, which saw five suspects arrested.

One woman from Basildon has since been jailed for four weeks for shop theft and a Chelmsford man fined after they were arrested in the city centre. Investigations are ongoing in the other case.

During 2024, our officers made 1,397 arrests for shop theft offences in Essex, secured 2,545 charges and solved 102 more offences than in the previous 12 months.

• Find out more about our work with retailers to combat shop theft, and how you can help by providing information to us
  
  
• Find out how our Business Crime Team can help your business

If you have information about a crime, anti-social behaviour or criminal activity, you can report it online, where you can also speak to an online Live Chat operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alternatively, you can ring 101.

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, online or by calling 0800 555 111.

Always ring 999 if it is an emergency or a crime in progress.