Businesses in Trowbridge are being urged to report every single theft in a new bid to crack down on shoplifters who are making their lives a misery and costing them thousands of pounds.

Over 4,000 reports of shoplifting were made in Wiltshire last year, but the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has urged retailers to report all instances of crime which took place within their businesses, saying that police are looking at alternative reporting systems.

Speaking at a retail crime workshop in Trowbridge, Mr Wilkinson stressed the importance of partnership working and intelligence sharing across Wiltshire and Swindon to successfully tackle retail crime, which is costing businesses tens of thousands of pounds a week.

Philip Wilkinson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Swindon and Wiltshire, has urged retailers to report every single theft.Philip Wilkinson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Swindon and Wiltshire, has urged retailers to report every single theft. (Image: Office of Police and Crime Commissioner)

He said: “I understand the frustrations of our local businesses, which are losing a huge amount of money due to organised crime groups targeting them.

“These criminals make people feel vulnerable in their workplace and there are smaller businesses whose survival is threatened by the increase in their premiums, which can lead to people losing their jobs.

“As I have said in my Police and Crime Plan, by coordinating our efforts to increase security, we will collectively be able to support economic development and make our town and city centres a safer place to work.”

The inaugural meeting of the Trowbridge Operational Retail Group at The Civic on Tuesday, November 5 was set up by the Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce and the Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team.

It gave retailers in the town the opportunity to share their experiences of crime and hear about the initiatives being implemented to reduce shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and other crime in and around their stores.

Inspector Andy Lemon and Sgt Charly Chilton, of Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team, on patrol outside Sainsbury's superstore in British Row, Trowbridge.Inspector Andy Lemon and Sgt Charly Chilton, of Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team, on patrol outside Sainsbury's superstore in British Row, Trowbridge. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Sgt Charly Chilton, of Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team, gave an overview of retail crime in Trowbridge and talked about the existing measures being taken by the police to combat retail crime and associated offences, such as assaults on shop workers.

Trowbridge has already benefitted from Anti-Social Behaviour Hotspot funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, which means there are extra police patrols in targeted areas within the town where anti-social behaviour has been identified as a specific issue.

Mr Wilkinson added: “It was good to see representatives from major retailers and their security teams, Wiltshire Council and the Mayor of Trowbridge join senior Wiltshire Police officers and Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce at the meeting.

As part of the new Police and Crime Plan, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships are being set up across the county to tackle increases in shoplifting and crimes against retail workers.

Kez Garner, chair of Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce, said: “Our business community of independent and national retailers welcome extra support from Wiltshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner to work with our businesses to tackle retail crime. 

“We are urging our businesses to report every single theft, so that the police can see the full extent of the problem.

“We are also urging our businesses to invest in their own CCTV and to join our local radio system, Storenet, to assist with capturing evidence and alerting other retailers when necessary.

“We aim to work together for safer shops and safer streets.”

Chief Inspector James Brain said: “The Operational Retail Group meeting held in Trowbridge enabled the police to bring local businesses together to hear and understand some of the retail crime challenges local businesses are facing.

“These meetings will be rolled out in towns across Wiltshire, and any outcomes will feed into our wider strategic Force response to tackling business crime.

“We encourage local businesses to continue working with our neighbourhood officers and report retail crime to the police using official reporting channels.”