Successful Christmas crackdown on crime
Extra resources in Newbury throughout December helped stamp out festive crime, according to local police
POLICE drafted extra resources into Newbury throughout December to help stamp out festive crime in the town centre.
A total of 20 arrests for shoplifting were made over the period running from December 1 to December 24.
Newbury police Sgt Andy Bone hailed the efforts of the special constabulary and mounted sections who assisted in the annual Christmas crime crackdown, and said the success of the operation hinged on good planning and communication.
“It was a high visibility operation targeted at cutting down retail theft, shoplifting, and also to provide reassurance to the public that we are out there,” he said.
“We also had a plan to engage early with repeat offenders as they come into the town.
“Of the arrests that were made, several were charged with shoplifting offences. We handed out a few penalty notices for disorder, £80 fines for small value thefts and engaged with youths who had committed smaller offences.”
Sgt Bone said proportionality was important when dealing with retail crime, and police had practiced measures whereby small shoplifting offences were dealt with in-store with the co-operation of the police and the store managers, rather than resorting to arrests.