Action on retail crime boosted with Government announcement

Today the Government has announced new action to crack down on retail crime, including a standalone criminal offence for assaulting a retail worker and enhancements to the Retail Crime Action Plan developed in partnership with policing in late 2023.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Retail Crime, Superintendent Alex Goss, said:

“Retail crime has a devastating impact on businesses and communities and we welcome the continued partnership working between policing, retailers, PCC’s and Government to tackle it.

“Since the launch of the Retail Crime Action Plan and Pegasus Partnership in late 2023, we’ve made significant progress in our policing response to shoplifting and it was encouraging to see much higher levels of confidence from retailers in policing at last week’s roundtable.

“The proposed new standalone offence for assaults on retail workers demonstrates that violence will not be tolerated and we hope it will enable swift justice for those subject to this shocking and disturbing behaviour.

“Furthermore, Opal, our national policing intelligence unit for serious and organised acquisitive crime, is this week beginning training for retailers to demonstrate how the team will work with forces, retailers, businesses and organisations to gather information that will be instrumental in identifying and tackling the organised crime groups responsible for a large proportion of retail crime. From 1 May, the newly created team will begin taking referrals which is another positive step forward in fight against retail crime.”

Earlier this year we reported on progress made under the new Retail Crime Action Plan.