Traders in Cornwall urged to sign up to shoplifting scheme

BBC News

6 hours ago

Traders are being encouraged to sign up to a free pilot scheme aimed at helping police gather information about shoplifting crimes.The UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) Business Crime Reduction Solution is being offered to businesses in Liskeard, Looe, Saltash and Torpoint. It offers an alternative way for retailers to report crimes.Insp Ned Bowie, who heads up neighbourhood police teams across the areas, said: "We know the devastating impact shoplifting can have on local businesses, especially for the smaller traders that are also targeted."
"We hope that this trial will offer businesses effective support in gathering evidence to target offenders."The free trial period for all sign-ups will end May in 2026. Insp Bowie said: "The UKPAC team will work closely with our neighbourhood officers, liaising directly to share evidence packages that are created using information shared by businesses on the platform. They'll also work alongside traders to help build strong, quality evidence against offenders."The intelligence we'll receive from the platform will be invaluable in our investigations, helping us to achieve better outcomes, quicker."The police said the platform provides an option for traders, but officers will "take all reports of crime seriously, no matter what way they're reported to us".There are a limited number of free passes, which are being paid for using using money from the police's summer policing fund.Traders can sign up for the scheme on the UKPAC website.