HUNDREDS of arrests have been made as police crackdown against retail crime across the region.
West Midlands Police said arrests for shop theft offences have risen over 60 per cent in the last two years as it has improved the response to crime reports.
In the first four months of this year 1,272 arrests were made – an increase on the same period in 2023,.
The force said cases where offenders are charged, cautioned or given out of court resolutions have also surged by over 235 per cent in the same period.
West Midlands Police said it has made significant and sustained improvements to the wayit deal with retail crime after shop thefts increased nationally and locally by around a third in 2022/23.
And work to tackle the issue of knife enabled robberies, some of which have occurred at retail premises has also seen a 25 per cent reduction in the latest reporting period.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “We take shop theft and retail crime seriously, and the improvements we’ve made to how we respond are making a real difference. With faster call handling, more officers investigating local crime, dedicated prevention work with our key recidivists, and stronger outcomes for victims, we’re now starting to see real impact.
“We want to thank businesses and the public for working with us and we encourage them to keep reporting incidents so we can continue to take action. We know there is more to do and we are committed to tackling this crime and helping to keep shop workers safe.
“If an offence occurs, it should always be reported — and if the suspect is still present or has just left the store, people should dial 999 immediately.”
