On patrol with Suffolk Police to prevent Ipswich shoplifting

While out with the Suffolk Police Kestrel Team on a patrol in the town centre, workers and business owners said they feel they are “fighting a losing battle" again serial shoplifting offenders.

Figures from Ipswich Central show that between February and the start of October town centre businesses have seen a loss of between £11,000 and £13,000 due to thefts.

However, the organisation’s street security team have helped recover around half of these losses, with £6,000 to £8,000 returned to stores.

Now further action has taken place as part of Safer Business Week with officers heading out to speak to business owners about their concerns.

Sergeant Will Hatchard said places in town such as Boots and TK Maxx are often targeted by offenders supporting drug addiction.  

Sergeant Will Hatchard in the town centre (Image: Newsquest) He said: “The majority of shoplifters are the same sort of people. Most of them are usually looking at expensive small items like laundry detergent and baby milk or alcohol and steaks."

He said a police presence was important, something businesses highlighted during the patrol.

The sergeant said: "Nothing beats seeing foot patrols in town and having face to face relationships with the stores and importantly getting to know the faces of the criminals so they can be targeted and arrested.”

On patrol, Sergeant Hatchard called in on a security guard for a major retail store.

The security guard, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “People often target jackets and women’s things along with kid’s clothes.

“They also go for expensive bottles of alcohol a lot and meat."

He said he felt that many thieves were not deterred from repeat offending when caught.

He added: “It would be good to have a larger police presence. Sunday is the worst day of the week because there’s no street security.

"We are fighting a losing battle really.”

Sergeant Hatchard then called in on Rodney Bates who owns the greengrocer, Global Fruits.

Rodney Bates runs Global Fruits (Image: Newsquest) He explained all the independent stores are struggling with shoplifting, although his stock is not usually a target for thieves.

“Outside we get the odd people trying to take things from the front. But I shout at them in front of the whole street if I catch them. For us it’s not a major problem, but I know for everyone else it really is.”

A reformed drug addict and thief also spoke to the team and shared his experience on what drives most of these serial offenders.

Aiden Flanigan said: “I was living on the streets, and I had a heroin and crack drug problem, and it was a necessity, I needed to do it. I did it for drugs.

“Drugs are everywhere now. Once people are caught up in that life, they end up going into shops to nick things.

“It’s usually the more expensive stuff so washing detergent or aftershave and electric shavers, just anything worth money."

Mr Flanigan went to prison for his offences.

He added: “I went to prison and got off of it all. When you get out of prison it’s down to you whether or not you go back on drugs. You can get clean in there.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore said at the Suffolk Retail Crime Forum recently: “There is never an excuse for violence and intimidation against retail staff or theft of goods in any circumstances.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore (Image: Newsquest) “There is now a strong commitment for us all to work together utilising new technologies, better data and information exchanges and using examples of best practice nationwide to prevent retail crime and bring offenders to justice."