By: Euan Duncan, Local Democracy Reporter
Shoplifting is “an epidemic across Bedfordshire and beyond”, so Biggleswade suffers from it no more than anywhere else, a meeting heard.
Information supplied to the town council by Bedfordshire Police indicated 115 shoplifting offences recorded between January and June this year.
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard was asked about the issue at a Biggleswade Town Council meeting where he was outlining his police and crime plan for the next four years.
Town councillor Duncan Strachan referred to “quite a prevalence of shoplifting, sexual offences and assaults”, saying: “People are now reporting crime more.
“Historically Bedfordshire’s is unreported which has hidden the issue of badly underfunding to some degree. Is there a particular reason why some of these crimes appear to be more prevalent in the town?” he asked.
Tizard replied: “Shoplifting is an epidemic across Bedfordshire and well beyond. There appear to be two categories. One is opportunist, but still wrong, the mother without money for the baby food and it’s too tempting.
“Much of it is gang, organised crime and drug-related to feed or finance their drug use. There’s also organised shoplifting to order. That could be white goods on the retail park or supermarkets in the town. And the other is gangs.
“I’ve been in shops where the whole meat counter has gone. We shouldn’t underestimate this. It impacts economically and it impacts on the shopkeeper or owner.
“Small shopkeepers can’t afford it, neither can the supermarket chains. It could be the entire profits for a day or a week taken in one go. And it’s quite threatening for staff.
“CCTV has a role to play, where it’s obvious. There are digital apps used by some shops allowing them to report (events) quickly for a policing response, as well as Shopwatch.
“I don’t think Biggleswade has more of this type of crime than anywhere else. I’d expect officers to come here to discuss these issues. If that’s not happening, I’ll certainly take it back.
“I’d be surprised if there’s not on-street drug dealing in Biggleswade because that’s happening everywhere else. Some of the assaults could be drug related too.”
One of the PCC’s aims is to focus on making Bedfordshire Police “an excellent force”, as an inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services is due in September.
“I’m proposing to have a six-month plan and a three-year one,” he explained. “The plan will be unveiled in October, so through to March. It will provide more time for alignment with other agencies.
“We’ll know the outcome of the inspection, so we’ll have to address areas where changes in policing are required. We’ll have a better idea of new government policies and any targets.
“We know they’ll be around serious crime, neighbourhood policing and reducing crime against women and children.
“Hopefully we’ll be more aware of those by early next year and, following the spending review, we’ll have a clearer understanding about funding. A plan without a budget would be a wish list.”
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
