A member of a city centre security team has said police told him they could no longer afford to respond to low-value shoplifting.
Perhaps it's time business ratepayers taxpayers told the police they 'can no longer afford' to stump up for a precept for a service they don't receive?
He said: 'Police are no longer going to attend shoplifting arrests in stores. We have also been advised that we cannot detain anyone for longer than 30 minutes.
'But if anyone is under 18 we've been told we have to just get the stock back and release them, with parental consent.
'We were told we should only call the police if the parents can't be contacted.'
And how are you supposed to contact the parents? You can't demand the name and address.
'They said they wouldn't attend if we had a shoplifter and it would be down to us to deal with it.
'We could send it through as a crime and they may take it up afterwards but if it's under £200 it would more than likely be shelved and not dealt with.
'There a national no attendance for shoplifting policy that's been around for ages now but Devon and Cornwall Police have been avoiding it but it's here too now.
'It means we won't get cover if we've got under two hundred pounds worth of shoplifting and if we can't get their details for a civil recovery we have to let them go.
'It was all about deterring and not letting them take it rather than if they do actually take it, what do we actually do. We said that doesn't work'
Well, the police are always
doing stuff that doesn't work, so it's no surprise they'd recommend it to someone else...
Cornwall Council's Rob Nolan said he has heard from the city's retailers that shoplifting is already out of control.
He said: 'I'm not surprised to hear this. I hear that shoplifting is out of control in Truro, and the Manager of a large store told me that they were losing £800 a week in alcohol alone.
No business can possibly wear that on a long term basis.
'The police are working flat out, but their resources have been cut to the bone and they don't have enough officers to cope.'
Really? I mean, really?
'We need the Government to do a u turn and properly resource our police, or stores are going to have to employ security guards and look after themselves.'
They already are. Some branches of McDonalds employ bouncers.
McDonalds!
A spokesperson for the OPCC said: 'The police is (sic) committed to tackling shoplifting and ensuring those responsible are held to account for their actions.
'Each week they charge many offenders to court with shoplifting offences throughout Cornwall.
'In-store prevention can also play a part and the force is always looking at the best way to work with retailers to help stop them becoming victims.'
Victims of
whom..? Shoplifters, or people who don't do the job they are paid for?
7 comments:
I’ve already told my family that of anything happens , they report it as a homophobic, transphobic, islamaphobic incident.
Since we can now self define , without proof or questions , it is the only way to get the authorities to do there job by becoming one of the protected groups.
Incompetent, black-enamel bar stewards.
I wonder how many Fagins are out there controlling a gang of kids. I do know from experience when certain protected characters visit this seems to be the MO.
So there you have it. The Police our taxes pay for are officially useless. Perhaps we can be allowed to move to a system then where if the Police refuse to protect people and businesses then stores and homeowners can be allowed to dispense thier own justice.
For shoplifters I suggest we start with the application of large hammers to fingers and knuckles. That will at least stop them shoplifting again.
Perhaps one way is to photograph them and put the picture in the window stating that they are banned from the shop (do not put the reason as this can be an offence). If they return and steal, the offence is burglary, a more serious crime, as they entered the premises as a trespasser. It used to work in the town I patrolled when we had a Police force rather than a service.
Penseivat
I continue to listen to the Police. Outdated but still influential; the police may belong to a bygone era but their vinyl music is still worth a spin.
"Since we can now self define , without proof or questions..."
Even to the point of getting sent to a women's prison while still sporting the m&2v!
"I wonder how many Fagins are out there controlling a gang of kids. "
Oh, I suspect a not-too-dissimilar demographic, frankly.
"Perhaps we can be allowed to move to a system then where if the Police refuse to protect people and businesses then stores and homeowners can be allowed to dispense thier own justice."
Oh, no! That'll never do! Of there's one thing they won't tolerate, it's scab labour.
"It used to work in the town I patrolled when we had a Police force rather than a service."
Those days are sadly gone. And I doubt anyone's taught that much law at Hendon now.
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