The police in Northampton have stepped up vigil against shoplifters this Christmas, and Operation Elegance has helped improve their success rates in nabbing the culprits.
Since March 2023, they have a dedicated retail crime unit that works closely with shop owners, who provide alerts through an app called Disc when a shoplifter strikes.
Using this app, a shopkeeper can upload a photo of the shoplifter from their CCTV and the police check and authorise the image, The Times reports.
An alert is then sent to every shop in the area and officers are dispatched to track the shoplifter.
Shopkeepers claim this approach has drastically cut down the time taken by the police to respond to shoplifting cases, and this has made a huge difference.
In October, 44 percent of shoplifting reports led to a criminal charge in Northamptonshire, up from about 13 percent in early 2023.
Enthused by the quick response by the police, the reporting rates have also gone up.
Last year there was a 46 per cent increase in police reports of the offence, the largest increase for any force.
Having a dedicated team for retail crime has helped, as shoplifting is a low priority area for most police forces.
Alison Farr, a former police officer and now crime manager for Northamptonshire Business Crime Partnership, says while lone shoplifters can be easily tackled, the gangs pose a challenge.
They mostly hail from Romania and operate across the UK, targeting one town or city after the other.
As they keep moving, a coordinated effort involving police forces from neighbouring towns is required, she told the daily.
Some shopkeepers unhappy with the terms of sentences for shoplifting, and point out that a few weeks in prison and is hardly a deterrent.
Meanwhile, shoplifting cases have increased on the Northampton outskirts and it is going to be the next area of focus for the police.
A recent survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has found that around 9 in 10 pharmacies have seen a surge in incidents of shoplifting in the last year.
