Crackdown on shoplifting in Wigan borough town has yielded results say police

The action was taken in response to reports of shoplifting within stores at Parsonage Retail Park in Leigh.

Officers have been meeting managers on a regular basis, providing support and advice on the issues which have been affecting them the most.

Criminal Behaviour Orders have been handed out to the most prolific offenders – a handful of which may have countless dozens of offences between them – which excludes them from certain areas of Leigh town centre, and can result in further punishment if breached.

Other work included: Increased patrolling of the affected areas to provide an enhanced presence; extending a Public Space Protection Order to include areas that are affected by shoplifting; engaging with homeless people to provide support and signposting to food banks and charity services.

The Crime Prevention Team have made further progress thanks to a number of initiatives, such as exploring environmental changes in the immediate vicinity of the stores to reduce the opportunities for offending.

PC Simon Winrow, from GMP’s Wigan district, said: “By working closely with stores, we are able to provide important information on reporting and dealing with crimes when they come in. We are committed to tackling shoplifting in the retail park and across Leigh, using various orders, tools and resources to do so.

“If you are a retailer in Leigh, please do get in touch, as we are determined to aid you where we can. You can do this by talking to an officer, or attending one of our local PACT meetings, which are advertised on our social media pages.”

Sue Andrew, from GMP’s Crime Prevention Team, said: “Prevention is a key part of tackling crime. By analysing the root causes of the problems, we can work with key stakeholders and members of the retail community to develop bespoke problem solving solutions.

"These could include improvements to CCTV and lighting, physical security measures, risk assessments and staff training. By implementing a range of risk commensurate measures we can remove the opportunities to offend, and increase the risk for offenders."