Traders in the 450-member Croydon Business Association believe GPS tagging would be a “positive step” towards tackling persistent shoplifting
“If you are seen as soft here they will batter you,” says Benedict Selvaratnam, speaking on the shop floor where he and his staff have experienced frequent and sometimes violent encounters with shoplifters.
The Managing Director of Freshfields Market recounted one previous incident that saw staff at his Church Street shop bottled after trying to retrieve stolen wine from thieves. “It’s not what we sign up to do,” said Benedict.
Persistent shoplifting in Croydon town centre has left retailers like Benedict increasingly frustrated with the existing system, with some choosing not to report incidents to police because they lack confidence that doing so will lead to action.
However, Croydon Council’s plans to explore a GPS-tagging pilot for persistent shoplifters now offer some hope to local shopkeepers. Under the model being considered, offenders could be required to wear GPS ankle tags under a legal order, allowing their movements to be monitored and alerts to be triggered if they enter banned areas.
“We think it is a positive step,” said Benedict, co-founder and representative of the Croydon Business Association (CBA). “This will empower shopkeepers to take action.”
Benedict says rampant and unpunished shoplifting is an issue that is raised regularly by the 450 businesses that form the CBA. “It’s always coming up in the WhatsApp groups,” he added.
He believes the GPS-tagging pilot, which was successfully trialled for the first time in East Sussex, offers retailers a step up from the current anti-shoplifting measures being employed in the town centre.
“We ban shoplifters and say they are not welcome here, but they still keep coming back,” said Benedict. “By the time the police come they are long gone. A lot of retailers are not bothering because they have no faith in the system.”
While areas such as Church Street offer shoppers a diverse range of produce from around the world, the area is also affected by gang activity and low-level street crime. “There is a lot of crime out there,” said Benedict.
He told the LDRS that Freshfields employed security last summer to guard the front of the shop, while the butcher now occasionally doubles up as a security guard when he is not busy behind the meat counter.
Intervening in potential theft is also a difficult issue for retailers, with Benedict admitting “it’s 50/50″ how they will respond. While some give the produce back, others become aggressive and attack staff.
When asked how the public respond to these interventions, he suggested the response was also varied, with people sometimes taking the side of the shoplifters. “If they see the whole incident they tend to take our side,” he added.
Around 5,000 thefts a year in Croydon
There were 4,796 reported shop thefts in Croydon town centre in the last 12 months, down 4.9 per cent from 5,043 the previous year. Benedict said some shoplifters are able to exploit gaps in enforcement and Croydon’s transport links – including the tram stop outside Freshfields – to evade prosecution.
He believes GPS tagging could provide evidence of offenders breaching exclusion zones, helping police enforce the restrictions and secure convictions.
The council is leading discussions with the Met Police and technology provider BUDDI as it explores how the GPS-tagging scheme could be enforced in London’s most populous borough. However, a start date for the pilot has yet to be confirmed, as the scheme is dependent on the council securing funding.
Last month, the Conservative-led authority secured a borough-wide ban against David Tench, who it said had “caused misery for local businesses and residents, particularly in the West Croydon area”.
Croydon is also working with partners through its Town Centre Taskforce to tackle antisocial behaviour and environmental crime, while Parkguard Patrol officers have been deployed in hotspot areas this summer to support council and police teams.
Announcing the plans this week, Mayor Jason Perry said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It threatens people’s livelihoods, drives up prices for honest customers and leaves shop workers facing intimidation and abuse simply for doing their jobs.
“Our businesses have had enough of prolific offenders repeatedly targeting their shops, and so have I. My message is clear – that if you come to Croydon to steal, you should expect consequences.
“Zero-tolerance means backing our businesses and using every legal tool available to protect them. GPS tagging could help us monitor persistent shoplifting offenders, enforce exclusion zones and prevent the same people returning time and again to cause more harm.
“We have already secured a borough-wide ban against one persistent antisocial behaviour offender and put additional accredited officers on our streets. Now we want to go further.
“I am determined that Croydon will lead the way in taking tough, practical action against shoplifting. We will continue working with the police, businesses and technology providers to develop this pilot and make Croydon a safer place in which to work, shop and live.”
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