Business crime (shoplifting)

Small local shops and large retailers/supermarkets lose hundreds to thousands of pounds every week due to theft, which is a major problem across the country.

The quality of CCTV systems have improved considerably in recent years and many shops employ part time/full time security guards to deter any potential opportunists, however this does not stop the most prolific offenders.

Town Centre NPT have been working with local retailers and analysing crime data, which led to identification of top 5 most prolific shoplifters affecting businesses not only in the Town Centre area, but across whole of Weston super Mare.

Investigation into offences committed by these individuals is ongoing as well as background work with local Anti Social Behaviour Team in order to compile evidence package towards ASB interventions available to police disposal in an attempt to tackle their prolific offending.

Actions

• 25 March 2025
  

  Ref update from 20/02/2025

  The prolific shoplifter failed to attend the court and a warrant for his arrest has been issued by NS Magistrates Court. Once he has been located, he will be put in front of the judge, and will likely be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of his 32 weeks sentence.

   

  Four out of top five prolific shoplifters in Weston super Mare have now been given Criminal Behaviour Orders, which is a positive result and sends a strong message that shoplifting will not be tolerated. Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue our collaborative work with local businesses, ASB team, BID and NS Council to bring the offenders to justice.

   

• 20 February 2025
  

  Ref update from 15/01/2025

  The prolific shoplifter, who was given a suspended sentence on 14/01/25, has been arrested and sent to prison to serve his sentence, following breaches of his post-sentence supervision, further reports of shoplifting and breaches of his Criminal Behaviour Order. He was also charged with 8 additional offences and will be appearing at court at the end of March.

• 11 February 2025
  

  There are no new updates regarding the business crime, however work is currently ongoing around the remaining 2 nominals, from the original list of top 5 prolific shoplifters.

  Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Officers will continue to monitor reports of shoplifting, and deal with any prolific shoplifter quickly and robustly.

• 15 January 2025
  

  On Tuesday 14th January 2024, a third prolific shoplifter appeared before a judge at North Somerset Magistrates Court. He was given a 32 weeks prison, suspended for 12 months, and given a Criminal Behaviour Order for a period of 2 years with conditions around shoplifting.

  This is another positive result from the work of the Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team to tackle business crime.

• 1 January 2025
  

  The third prolific shoplifter, from the list of five, did not attend court on 17th December 2024. The matter has been rescheduled for 14th January 2025. In the meantime he was charged with further 4 offences and will be charged with another 7 shortly. He is currently in prison.

• 1 December 2024
  

  Another prolific shoplifter attended court on 12/11/24 and was found guilty of 10x shop thefts. On this occasion the court also issued a Criminal Behaviour Order to the defendant for a period of 2 years with conditions around his prolific shoplifting.

  A third offender, from the original list of five most prolific shoplifters, is attending court on 17th December 2024 for sentencing with regard to 8x shop lifts he had been charged with.

• 1 October 2024
  

  The first of the five, previously identified prolific offenders, attended court on 19/09/24 and was found guilty on 26x shop thefts. A Criminal Behaviour Order application had been prepared whilst the investigation into those offence was ongoing. The court issued the Criminal Behaviour Order to the defendant for a period of 3 years with conditions around his prolific shoplifting.