Using analysis we will focus our efforts into the areas with the highest level of activity.
We'll also focus attention on false and/or mistaken reporting. A dedicated investigator will concentrate on identifying lines of enquiry for genuine reports as well as identifying false and/or mistaken reports. This project started in October 2007 and in the first three months detections increased by 11.4% on the previous period in the year before.
Shoplifting
In 2007/08 we saw an increase of 18% in this crime type compared to 2006/07. We will continue to use ASBO's and CRASBO's to restrict access to shops for shoplifters. During 2006/07 we obtained two ASBO's and a further three in 2007/08 banning individuals from certain shopping areas.
We will support the Town Centre Shop Watch Group who help y using their radios to advise the Concil's CCTV Control Room of the whereabouts of know shoplifters. The Control Room monitors the radios and can direct CCTV to follow suspects.
We know that we need to do a significant amount of work to improve the data quality of recorded incidents of shoplifting to enable us to target resources more effectively. Since April 2007 the Town Centre PCSO has been the lead officer working with the Town Centre Manager to address this. A new reporting system has been developed and shops will be encouraged to provide more detail when reporting incidents and to proptly inform the Council's CCTV Control Room as soon as an incident has occured.
We will continue to Support the PPO project. Of the 41 people listed as PPOs five are known to be significant shoplifters and we obtained CRASBOs on them restricting their movements. They all have a drug problem and in the last year they have spent 24 months in prison as a result of the proactive work of the PPO project.
Theft of Metals
The Partnership Strategic Assesment (Pril-September 07) found that theft of metals accounts for 35% of theft not classified elsewhere. Worldwide demand for metal has pushed up prices making this a more lucrative market for criminals. Theft of lead flashing is a particular problem in our area along with door furniture and outside taps. Nearly half of these thefts are from domestic premises.
The Council's NES will continue to undertake operations to disrupt this market such as those carried out between April and December 2007:
- 27 Waste Carrier spot checks
- Four £300 fines issued to waste carriers who did not have an appropriate licence
- 25 Abandoned shopping trolleys recovered, we know these are used to transport stolen metals. The owners of the trolleys are recharged.
Theft of Personla Belongings
As the number of people owning a mobile phone increases we have seen a rise in the number of reported as stolen. Sometimes the theft is incidental and occurs because the phone is in a handbag or jacket that has been stolen. Reported thefts of a mobile phone account for 11% of thefts in this category. The highest incidents occur in public houses. Peolpe will report that their mobile phone has been stolen when it may have been misplaced or left in a taxi and when it turns up they fail to let us know. We will use our dedicated police officer to investigate these reports to identify false or mistaken reports.
Theft of wheelie bins
This type of theft increases around Bonfire night but it is an ongoing problem. We will support operations to divert young people in the run up to November 5th. Bins are also used to move stolen property as well as to increase the effect of fireworks. Both the Police aand the Council NES will challenge anyone seen moving goods in a wheelie bin. The Council's NES will issue a Section 46 Notice when they detect that a bin is left out or put out too early. During April to March 2008 NES seized 168 wheelie bins and issued 70 Fixed Penalty Notices to householders who put their bins out early or failed to bring them back in.
Theft of Pedal Cycles
This crime type has remained steady over recent years until recently, by March 2008 there was a 12% increase on the 2006/07 total of 298 thefts. We will monitor this closely to identify any hot spots or areas of weakness and target crime reduction advice to those areas.
The Police Crime Reduction Unit will inscribe the postcode on bikes for free and they will sell robust shed alarms and locks. Please telephone 01642 302271 for more details.
Partnership working
Retailers on Teesside Park have set up a Shop Watch project this is also running in Stockton High Street and Billingham where members keep each other informed via radios when known shop lifters are in the area.
The High Street is covered by CCTV, which is monitored by the Council's Control Room. This means that known offenders can be monitored closely and picked up quickly by the Police if they have offended or breached their ASBO/CRASBO by entering shops that they are banned from.
We know that of the 41 PPOs that we are monitoring all commit crimes within Other Theft so we have included two targets within this category.