Suffering due to shop lifting Midsomer Norton?

By Susie Watkins

30th Jan 2024 | Local News

You can get financial help with combating shop lifting, image WECA
You can get financial help with combating shop lifting, image WECA

Shoplifting has reached record levels after soaring by more than a third in a year.

For the first time since records started, there were more than 400,000 cases reported to police in England and Wales, according to the ONS.

Mayor Dan Norris says the sobering stats are "no surprise" as he once again urged the region's stores to apply for grants from his Mayoral Combined Authority to help the West fight back.

"Safer Shops West" allows independent shops to receive £2,000 towards the costs of security measures such as CCTV, screens, body cams and hand-held radios.

Mr Norris said: "These figures will sadly be of surprise to no one - especially those shopworkers on the frontline of a shoplifting epidemic in the West of England, and across the country.

"This level of out-of-control crime is unsustainable and risks some communities losing local stores. For the shops that stay open, they will be forced to put up prices to make up for the lost goods - making this frightening cost-of-living crisis even worse for all.

"I urge shops to get in touch with my Mayoral Combined Authority, and join the crime fightback."

The Mayor is campaigning for tougher action from ministers to tackle shoplifting and protect shopworkers - including restoring the number of Police Community Support Officers to 2010 levels, and introducing a standalone offence of assaulting a shopworker.

Avon and Somerset saw a 41% increase in shoplifting in 2023.

     

New midsomernorton Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: midsomernorton jobs

Share:

Related Articles

Rusty Racketeers poster
Local Sport

Somer Valley Tennis Rusty Racketeers !

Potholes are without question bigger and more widespread than ever. Image Nub News
Local News

The equivalent of 352 tennis courts? Serving up road resurfacing across Bath and North East Somerset

Sign-Up for our FREE Newsletter

We want to provide midsomernorton with more and more clickbait-free local news.
To do that, we need a loyal newsletter following.
Help us survive and sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Already subscribed? Thank you. Just press X or click here.
We won't pass your details on to anyone else.
By clicking the Subscribe button you agree to our Privacy Policy.