To work in retail should be about assisting and serving customers; not to face violence from criminals who want to steal and have no shame in doing so.
Earlier this year I wrote to the Home Secretary on this issue and the Government have now announced that the Fighting Retail Crime plan will include a new standalone criminal offence for assaults on retail workers. This makes clear that there will be tough consequences for this unacceptable behaviour and builds on the police-led Retail Crime Action Plan which was launched in October 2023.
The Government will amend the Criminal Justice Bill so perpetrators face being sent to prison for up to six months, receive an unlimited fine, and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes.
Criminal Behaviour Orders are to be used to bar perpetrators from visiting specific premises. Breaching an Order is also a criminal offence and carries a five year maximum prison sentence. For the most serious cases of assault, offenders could face a life sentence.
The introduction of a standalone offence of attacking a retail worker has been welcomed by The Co-op Group as well as the British Retail Consortium.
This crackdown was announced in Sussex by the Prime Minister last month, alongside the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, who also serves as Lead on behalf of Police & Crime Commissioners for Business & Retail Crime.
Following her suggestion to the Government last year that tagging of prolific shoplifters would be an important measure in addressing retail crime, I welcome the Prime Minister confirming that the use of GPS tagging will be expanded for repeat shoplifters.
If an offender is found guilty of assaulting staff three times, or is sentenced for shoplifting on three separate occasions, they should be made to wear a tag.
This will act as a continued reminder to offenders that the Probation Service can find out where they have been: with the risk of prison time if they do not comply.
Government is to encourage the design of new crime prevention systems; bringing retailers and insurers together to identify new ways of preventing such thefts.
Businesses will be backed to adopt cutting-edge digital evidence management systems to enable them to more easily share evidence with police, with funding for a new phase of the Pegasus police-business data-sharing partnership, contingent on the success of its first phase.
Business crime is being addressed throughout Sussex, particularly shoplifting, with the creation of a dedicated Business Crime Unit with solved rates up to 69.9 per cent as well as investment in the Safer Sussex Business Partnership.
Let us support the police in building on this vital work.
Henry Smith MP
