“Throughout December, Sussex Police ran Operation Tinsel – a scheme tackling crimes in our high streets in the build up to Christmas and into the New Year celebrations.
The operation meant that additional police patrols were in place to act as a deterrent, specifically targeting anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
Retailers, shop staff and their customers will be pleased to hear how successful the operation has been. The dedicated police patrols were able to target shoplifters and give added focus to tackling anti-social behaviour in our high streets, whilst also providing a reassuring, visible police presence for those enjoying the vibrant night-time economy.
In Chichester, more than 450 people were engaged with and police seized cannabis and a knuckle-duster from two teenagers in the town.
In Littlehampton and Bognor, over 125 businesses engaged with the police, speaking about the impact shoplifting has on their stores and employees and how businesses and police can work together to get offenders off our high streets.
Prior to Christmas, I met with Rob Powell, a journalist from Sky, to speak to him about the devastating impact shoplifting has on communities and how we are tackling it here in Sussex.
Rob and the team also joined Nick Strickland from the Brighton Business Crime Reduction Partnership. It was pleasing to see how integrated the team are in the business community, supporting those who are affected by this growing crime.
The Policing Minister, Chris Philp MP also shared his views in the news feature, commenting on the shoplifting crisis and the measures in place to tackle it.”
You can watch the full video online.