Police are making changes at a Nottinghamshire retail park to tackle shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. Two new schemes are being brought to Victoria Retail Park in Netherfield, with the aim of keeping shoppers safe and preventing shoplifting.
A 'Shopwatch' radio scheme will be put in place, meaning businesses can instantly contact each other and alert fellow traders and the police when persistent shoplifters are in the area. Two Safer Streets wardens have also been employed by Gedling Borough Council, who will provide an extra visible uniformed presence at Victoria Retail Park as well as residential areas and the nearby Colwick Industrial Park.
Additionally, funding has been allocated for more high-visibility patrols around the retail park by Nottinghamshire Police. Inspector Mark Stanley, who is responsible for local policing in the Gedling borough area, said shops faced an increase in thefts at the festive period as well as an influx of Christmas customers.
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"Shoplifting has a real effect on local businesses, and it increases noticeably around the Christmas period. Shoplifting is linked to other types of criminal behaviour in the community, like drug offences, and businesses invest a huge amount in trying to stop it.
"There are two types of shoplifter, one is the opportunist where it is more about desperation, which you are seeing with the cost-of-living crisis. The other are regular offenders, who could be using shoplifting to fund substance abuse or other criminality, who we need to target if they aren't engaging with us.
"It is a busy time of year so there are more vehicles in the area which could also be targets of theft as well as shops - the reintroduction of the Shopwatch scheme and two street wardens will only contribute to the public having that extra security net and knowledge someone is always there to help when they are out shopping. There are a lot of demands on policing so to have an extra set of eyes is very useful."
The extra safety measures have been funded by the Home Office's Safer Streets fund, from which Caroline Henry, Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, secured £3 million in July. A total of £750,000 has been allocated to the Nottinghamshire South area, to be spent in Netherfield and Colwick, in Gedling, Trent Bridge ward, in Rushcliffe and Eastwood South, and in Broxtowe.
Police and Crime Commissioner Henry said: "It is about building a community between local businesses, where they can let each other know what is happening. There are some prolific offenders and it makes a huge difference to be able to identify who they are and share that information quickly.
"Shoplifting is not a victimless crime - assaults on retail workers are also an issue as well. While these measures are starting to come into place in the busiest time for retailers in the run up to Christmas, they are being funded until late 2023, so they will have a lasting impact on safety in public places across Netherfield and Colwick."
The borough's council leader highlighted the new wardens would also help with recent antisocial behaviour at Victoria Retail Park. Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “We’re very pleased to be working with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to keep our streets safer and reduce crime, something that is a Gedling Borough Council priority.
“We have seen the success of Shopwatch schemes in areas such as Arnold, which were introduced a few years ago and increases in patrols will hopefully make people feel safer too.
“The extra wardens should also help reduce some of the recent antisocial incidents at Victoria Retail Park and stop car cruisers, who have been using Colwick Industrial Estate to gather at night and provide reassurance to local residents.
“I would like to thank the work being done by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner alongside our Neighbourhood Wardens on this important scheme and I am sure the retailers will also be very pleased with the extra security that this announcement will bring as they continue to recover from the loss of business due to the pandemic.”
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