Crackdown on shoplifting in East Berkshire leads to over 200 charges

Over the last six months officers in Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead and Bracknell executed multiple arrest warrants and brought forward additional charges including

• robbery
• possession of an offensive weapon
• breach of a serious violence reduction order
• criminal damage
• dangerous driving
• driving while disqualified
• driving without insurance.

The operation has been focused on targeting shoplifters, as well as building partnerships with local retailers.

Since May, neighbourhood policing officers have worked closely with individual stores, tailoring their approach to each location and fostering collaborative relationships.

Retailers have been encouraged to sign up to DISC, a secure information-sharing platform, to help identify repeat offenders and improve community safety. 

The operation has also involved partnership working with licensing teams to ensure stores understand regulations, enhancing their ability to deter and document criminal activity.

More recently, efforts have expanded to include the Safer Towns team, with a renewed focus on making town centres safer and tackling persistent shoplifting.