Retailers have a new tool against the scourge of the shoplifter, revealed in August by the Metropolitan Police. This new crime reporting system, piloted recently in six London boroughs, lets retailers submit CCTV footage, witness statements and other evidence directly to officers, allowing them to track, arrest and build cases against shoplifters. Previously, officers might have had to wait up to 28 days or longer for CCTV and statements, now they get that evidence in minutes.
It is already being used by major high street chains including Tesco, Boots, M&S and Greggs.
New figures released today show that where shoplifting is reported using the new tech, there is a positive outcome (a caution, charge or other criminal disposal) in 29.4 per cent of cases.
The Met average prior to its introduction was just 7.3 per cent.
Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met’s lead for business crime, said:
“This crime reporting technology is helping us identify offenders faster and bring more shoplifters to justice. By receiving CCTV footage and evidence directly from retailers at the point a crime is committed, we can build stronger cases and act more decisively. Reported shoplifting offences across London are down by almost four per cent.”
The crime reporting platform is currently being used by subscribing retailers across Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley.
Following the success of pilot, the Met is expanding its use from today, to retailers in Southwark, Lambeth, Sutton, Croydon, Bromley, Hillingdon, Ealing and Hounslow.
The Met remains committed to cracking down on shoplifters. In the last financial year, reported shoplifting offences across London fell by 3.7 per cent compared with the previous year, equivalent to around 3,500 fewer offences.
Over the same period, the Met made almost 50 per cent more arrests for retail crime, while the number of positive outcomes, more than doubled from 2,682 to 5,996.
Julie Murphy, Vice President for London and Travel division, Boots, said:
“Harnessing retail crime technology – which is available in all Boots stores across London – enables our store teams to report incidents more quickly and effectively to the Police and focuses our collective resources on targeting high harm offenders.
“The results published by the Met today show that we are making progress in bearing down on shop theft, and Boots is pleased to be supporting the roll-out of Direct to Police reporting via the platform to a further eight London boroughs.”
