Trade bodies have welcomed a nationwide crackdown on town centre crime and antisocial behaviour this summer.
Under the home secretary’s Safer Streets Summer Blitz initiative, launched today, government will be increasing police patrols near shops and community centres.
It will also be enforcing local action to tackle high street crime and antisocial behaviour such as banning perpetrators from hotspots. The initiative is set to affect over 500 towns across England.
It acts as phase one of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which aims to tackle high street crime and restore faith in police by increasing the presence of police officers in every community to protect town centres, businesses, and the people who live and work there.
“High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities,” said home secretary Yvette Cooper. “Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns. But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and antisocial behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned.
“It’s time to turn this around. That’s why I have called on police forces and councils alike to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished.”
ACS CEO James Lowman said: “We welcome the home secretary’s Safer Streets initiative, which brings a much-needed focus on the safety of shoppers, employees, and business owners in our communities.
“Thousands of convenience stores trade in town centres, but many others operate in neighbourhoods, housing estates and villages. It’s important that efforts to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour are spread to all the areas where businesses trade and where people live, work, shop and socialise.”
The Federation of Independent Retailers national president Hetal Patel said: “This crackdown on shop theft, street theft and antisocial behaviour is timely and welcome. Shop theft is often seen as a victimless crime but this is not the case.
“It takes a heavy toll mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees. At the same time, the financial costs of retail crime will eventually impact on customers through inflated prices.
“ASB, meanwhile, can cost independent retailers dear in terms of cleaning and clearing up, as well as increasing premiums, deterring footfall and shoppers.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.”
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