2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Nic Marko - BBC Local Democracy Reporter)
Calls have been made for businesses in Hartlepool to report any shoplifting they experience to help crackdown on the issue. Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matt Storey highlighted how various steps are being carried out to help tackle the issue of retail crime across the region and in Hartlepool . This includes a push to use enhanced CCTV with facial recognition software to identify culprits and offering out of court resolutions to those responsible to help educate and prevent re-offending.
Labour's Mr Storey added he will be sending out a joint letter to businesses in the town centre area with Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Hartlepool Council chiefs urging them to report incidents. He said: "A lot of retailers still think that if they report something the police won't do anything because they're not willing to respond, and that isn't the case. We're encouraging that reporting because often the business owners are telling us that there is a problem, but they haven't reported it and the police aren't aware of it, therefore nothing happens.
"The fact is people don't report enough crime and they do feel as though maybe the police won't attend, but even if the police don't attend initially, it's all recorded as an intelligence picture which is built up and action will be taken." He noted future steps will include exploring potential public space protection orders for the town centre and marina areas, which would provide more powers to police and enforcement officers. Work will also include looking into the root causes of shoplifting and providing support, with substance misuse and addiction often a key driver.
The comments came at the latest meeting of the council's audit and governance committee as part of their investigation into "ways of designing out and reducing incidents of retail crime". Councillor Karen Oliver, chair of the council's neighbourhood services committee, echoed how "public campaign work" to get people to report crimes and take a "zero tolerance" approach is key. She added: "It's about building community pride.
" The meeting also heard how the Safer Hartlepool Partnership, chaired by town MP Jonathan Brash, will be carrying out work looking into retail crime. Residents can report incidents via the free Cleveland Online Policing App (COPA) on mobiles here or by calling 101. For crime news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter.
