Hundreds of towns will see an increased police presence as part of the Government’s new crime “blitz” to crack down on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour by “thugs and thieves”.
More than 500 towns across England and Wales have signed up to the Home Office’s safer streets summer initiative, which will run to September 30, with more visible policing and stronger enforcement to “restore confidence in policing”.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said residents and businesses have a “right to feel safe in their towns” but the last government left a “surge” in crime.
In a statement, she said: “It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils alike to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished.”
She said part of the neighbourhood policing guarantee includes investment of £200 million this year to begin the recruitment of thousands of new neighbourhood policing officers.
Speaking to members of policing and business sectors at Derby County Football Club’s Pride Park Stadium on Thursday, Ms Cooper said every area will have “named contactable officers for residents and businesses to be able to turn to”.
Ms Cooper said: “It’s one of the most important things to restore confidence in policing is to have those neighbourhood police back on the beat dealing with those very crimes that cause so much problem.
“And if we don’t see the police on the streets, then confidence is lost. And I think that is what’s happened for far too long.
“If shoppers don’t feel safe, they will stay home. People will just stay out of our town centres, and that heart of community will be lost.
“I think these kinds of crimes have been dismissed for too long because crime erodes the social fabric that binds us together and keeps communities strong.
“We’ve made town centres the very heart of the safer streets mission for this summer, taking back town centres from thugs and thieves – at the heart of that is rebuilding neighbourhood policing.”
Half a million shoplifting offences in England and Wales were recorded by police last year, up 20% from 2023.
In a statement, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We are on the side of local businesses, and our plan for change is helping create the right conditions for our great British high streets to thrive.
“The safer streets summer initiative will play a vital role in achieving this by keeping footfall high, communities and those that work in them safe, and the economy growing.”
Anthony Hemmerdinger, managing director of Boots, said: “Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from Government and the police to strengthen shop worker protection.”
Police and crime commissioners across England and Wales have developed local action plans with police, including in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Humberside, Devon and Cornwall.
