Latest news with #DaysofAction
Dublin Live
3 days ago
- Dublin Live
Gardai to conduct spot checks on Dublin buses this bank holiday weekend to support 'safety of customers'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Gardai will conduct spot checks on Dublin buses this bank holiday weekend in order to support the "safety of our customers and employees". Officers will board board Dublin Bus services as part of a new series of 'Days of Action' across the fleet which will start this weekend and continue over the coming weeks. The new plan is part of a joint commitment by Dublin Bus, An Garda Síochána, and the Department of Transport to improve safety on public transport. This includes a dedicated public transport wide day on June 10, which will involve increased Garda presence across key routes and areas of the city. The Garda Days of Action are planned to continue throughout 2025, with the dates, times, and loations to be decided by feedback on the ground. Reported incidents of anti-social behaviour aboard Dublin Bus services have more than doubled from 494 to 1053 per year in the last five years. The initiative, Dublin Bus say, aims to "deter anti-social behaviour, support drivers and enhance the experience for people using public transport across the city and Greater Dublin Area". Chief Executive of Dublin Bus Billy Hann said: 'At Dublin Bus, the safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. The Garda Days of Action reflect our strong and ongoing partnership with An Garda Síochána, and we welcome their continued support in ensuring a safe and respectful environment on board our services. "Our Safer Journeys Team is a key part of this safety focus, and we remain committed to working with Government and the Gardaí to enhance safety and security across the public transport network." Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien added: "A reliable and safe public transport network is fundamental to a functioning city. "That means visibility, presence and cooperation. I fully support these Garda-led Days of Action and commend Dublin Bus for the proactive way it has approached safety through initiatives like the Safer Journeys Team. "This is what joined-up public service delivery looks like — practical, responsive and focused on people." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Daily Record
Shoplifting squad swoop on Glasgow city centre - arresting "prolific offenders"
Cops combine big shops to scour CCTV and swoop on targets suspected of major organised shoplifting operations A major crackdown on retail crime saw suspected "prolific" offenders busted. A squad 31 plain-clothed and uniformed officers, including two from British Transport Police, homed in on suspects after tip-offs from retailers in Scotland's busiest shopping centre. The Glasgow operation, coordinated by the Retailers Against Crime (RAC) group, resulted in five arrests plus an additional 12 people charged with offences including shoplifting and drug possession. Stephanie Karté, National Operations Manager at RAC, said: 'A good number of offenders were prevented from shoplifting and causing anti-social behaviour on the day. 'Days like these are so important and it brought police, security staff and retailers together to build relationships and help fight the ongoing battle against retail crime which is a substantial problem and can seem extremely overwhelming. 'We are all working to the same objective – to stop retailers being hit with thefts and incidents of antisocial behaviour - and we all want to make a difference by working together. Everyone has a part to play and it's great to see so many retail staff getting involved and our Days of Action getting busier each time.' The RAC team used intelligence from the SentrySIS crime-fighting tool, which sees users share real-time information about thefts and other incidents, to draw up details of the most active shoplifters in the city. Staff from Glasgow retailers gathered for a morning briefing before being supplied with APEX radios to contact police officers if they spotted suspects in their store or on the streets. One security officer who joined the Day of Action said: 'The overall consensus was that it was a phenomenal day with a real sense of camaraderie and good results in terms of deterring several people from shoplifting. 'I've been involved in the RAC Days of Action for about five years now, I've attended every one and this was the best yet. They have evolved into something very important and make a real dent in the criminality we see in the city centre which has increased massively in recent years. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'It gives retailers more confidence to see people getting caught and arrested.' A Loss Prevention Officer involved in the crackdown added: 'We went out into the streets as part of a team and were able to deter and disrupt a lot of known criminals as well as gathering intelligence on others. 'It was a useful experience and as well as catching criminals, it enables us to build better relationships with city centre police officers.' Figures from the British Retail Consortium's annual crime survey released earlier this year highlighted how retail crime is 'spiralling out of control' with 55,000 thefts a day across the UK – an all-time high - and violent and abusive incidents rising by 50% last year. And RAC figures detail how incidents of violent crime are surging with 1674 reported to the organisation by members during 2024 from a total of 11,890 offences. Retailers Against Crime is a national retail crime partnership, established in 1997, which aims to detect and prevent crime by sharing information on local and travelling offenders with members and partners throughout the UK.
Glasgow Times
13-05-2025
- Glasgow Times
12 people charged in intense crackdown on Glasgow retail crime
Police Scotland officers were joined by members of Retailers Against Crime (RAC) to tackle a surge in shoplifting. During their "most successful" exercise to date, individuals were charged with offences including shoplifting and drug possession. A team of 31 plain-clothed and uniformed cops, including two from British Transport Police, spent the day on the streets of Glasgow focusing on the most prolific retail crime offenders. (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) READ NEXT: Organised crime gangs travelled to Glasgow to nick designer gear One security officer, who joined the Day of Action, said: 'The overall consensus was that it was a phenomenal day with a real sense of camaraderie and good results in terms of deterring several people from shoplifting. 'I've been involved in the RAC Days of Action for about five years now, I've attended every one and this was the best yet. "They have evolved into something very important and make a real dent in the criminality we see in the city centre, which has increased massively in recent years. 'It gives retailers more confidence to see people getting caught and arrested.' Figures from the British Retail Consortium's annual crime survey released earlier this year highlighted how retail crime is 'spiralling out of control' with 55,000 thefts a day across the UK – an all-time high - and violent and abusive incidents rising by 50% last year. RAC figures also detail how incidents of violent crime are surging, with 1674 reported to the organisation by members during 2024 from a total of 11,890 offences. Stephanie Karté (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Newsquest) READ NEXT: Glasgow cops crack down on shoplifting - this store is targeted most Stephanie Karté, national operations manager at RAC, said: 'This was our most successful Day of Action so far with an outstanding turnout from retailers and our partners. "A good number of offenders were prevented from shoplifting and causing anti-social behaviour on the day. 'Days like these are so important and they brought police, security staff and retailers together to build relationships and help fight the ongoing battle against retail crime, which is a substantial problem and can seem extremely overwhelming.' Natasa Wilson, RAC intelligence co-ordinator, added: 'Our latest Day of Action was the best one yet. It reflected the precise planning which goes into the day from us and Police Scotland and the great partnership and support we receive from our members and security companies.' (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) As part of our series The Cost of Crime, the Glasgow Times previously joined cops and security officers during a day of action in November 2024. They revealed that organised gangs use sophisticated tactics to target shops. We also revealed that between December 1, 2024, and January 8, 2025, 49 people were arrested and taken into custody or charged in connection with retail thefts, with a total of 61 incidents recorded by officers in that period. It comes as a dedicated shoplifting team was established in the city centre.
