Graham Colley LibDem PCC for Kent says "enough is enough" of grandstanding talk about shoplifting. What is needed is resources and action.

Graham Colley LibDem PCC for Kent says "enough is enough" of grandstanding talk about shoplifting. What is needed is resources and action.

Commenting upon the Prime Minister's announcement that the government would create a new offence of assaulting a shop worker (HMG , 2024) Graham Colley, Lib Dem candidate for police and Crime Commissioner for Kent said that the Prime Minister was just "grandstanding". He said,

"Mr Sunak is highlighting a problem without offering any real solutions.

The new offence of assaulting a shop worker is no different from the existing offence of Common Assault with the same penalties of up to six months’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine. Until this announcement, the government was saying that a new offence was unnecessary.

Everyone wants shopworkers to be free from crime, abuse or assault, but what is needed is action and not just words. Firstly, there is no point in having another law unless there are the resources to implement it. Secondly, the problem of shoplifting has to be addressed.

Mr Sunak's government is continuing to cut resources to Kent Police and there has been a two-thirds reduction in PCSO's in Kent from 386 in 2010 to just 101 in 2023. PCSOs are accessible and visible, spending much of their time on patrol in their areas. They would play a significant part providing shopkeepers with reassurance. (BBC News, 2012)"

Whilst there are organised gangs of shoplifters aiming at specific goods or shops – and these criminals should be dealt with by the courts - around 70% of shoplifting offences are committed by those with drug addiction problems who steal to sustain their addiction  (BBC, 2023) . Other shoplifters have mental health or stress problems that lead them to impulsive behaviour including shoplifting. Some shoplift out of desperation facing personal crises such as family breakdown or financial problems. Increased punishment will not deter these desperate shoplifters”.

Graham Colley concluded, "Shoplifting and assault on shopworkers is a serious and growing problem. It will not be solved by announcements, only by gaining more resources and addressing the problems at their roots.

ENDS

References

BBC. (2023, 11). Shoplifting: The stories behind the statistics. Retrieved from https:10//www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-67339319

BBC News. (2012). What is the role of police community support officers. Retrieved from www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17702622: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17702622

HMG . (2024, 04 10). Prime Minister launches retail crime crackdown. Retrieved from Prime Minister launches retail crime crackdown: www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-launches-retail-crime-crackdown