New technology system to track shoplifters in Warwickshire

The funding was agreed at the Business and Rural Crime Board meeting which took place on April 23.

Awarded to the Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative, the project will allow information about shoplifters and other criminals who commit retail crime to be shared across a secure online system called ACIS, so retailers know when criminals have crossed into different areas.

Targeting travelling shoplifters and other people known to commit crime against retail premises in the first instance, this will be widened in some circumstances to include persons who are barred from licensed premises that are members of pub watch schemes.

The system will link across retail schemes in Warwickshire towns and Northampton, Hinckley, Banbury and others.

The scheme is expected to be launched later this year.

Mr Ball said: “Retail crime is a growing problem across the country – we know that the overall cost of retail crime has soared nationally by 15.6 per cent in a year to £1.6 billion, but we also know that crime does not stop at the county border. We need to be more sophisticated in tackling travelling criminals and ensure that retailers have the right information to be vigilant against retail crime.

“I am determined to get to grips with this problem in Warwickshire and am delighted to be supporting this innovative scheme – it will play an important role in helping to tackle this problem in our county and across our neighbouring areas.”

For those retailers who do not use the secure site, paper bulletins will be made available.

Go to www.warwickshire-pcc.gov.uk for details.