Bexhill MP, Kieran Mullan, recently met with the Hastings and Rother District Commander, Chief Inspector Simon Yates, to discuss the issue of shoplifting in Bexhill town centre which has been on the increase.
Kieran, who spent several years as a volunteer police officer, has been working with the local business community, Rother District Council and Sussex Police to get an effective strategy in place to reduce shop crime and ensure that all incidents reported to the police are followed up quickly and effectively.
Whilst there have been some good recent successes in dealing with offenders, Kieran is concerned that shoplifting remains a significant issue which impacts Bexhill retailers and the community sense of safety.
CI Yates assured Kieran that two new PCs had recently been allocated specifically to Bexhill as well as a PCSO and they will work with the business community to reduce shoplifting.
A new reporting tool for shoplifting called DISC was launched in Bexhill last November. This allows shopkeepers to report incidents and upload images which the police can then investigate.
Following the meeting, Kieran joined CI Yates and PCSO Potter on a walkabout in Bexhill town centre including visiting a shop which had recently experienced shoplifting.
Kieran said “It was good to meet CI Yates to discuss shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in Bexhill and to hear of his commitment to cracking down on these criminals who steal with impunity.
“Our local businesses work hard to keep the Bexhill high streets thriving. They are mostly independent traders who have invested a lot of time and money into their businesses. They need to know that those involved in shoplifting and antisocial behaviour will be prosecuted.
“I would urge local businesses to sign up to the DISC system and ensure that they report every shoplifting. I know some people have felt like there is little point in reporting, but this helps me press for action and more resources and is the only way we will ever tackle this. I will also continue to oppose Labour's plans to let prolific offenders like shoplifters avoid prison.
“It’s vital that we work as a community to send out a strong message to criminals that shoplifting and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in Bexhill.”
