Priority Reviewed and agreed Feb 2025

Small local shops and large retailers/supermarkets lose hundreds to thousands of pounds every week due to theft, which is a major problem across the country.

The quality of CCTV systems have improved considerably in recent years and many shops employ part time/full time security guards to deter any potential opportunists, however this does not stop the most prolific offenders.

Town Centre NPT have been working with local retailers and analysing crime data, which led to identification of top 5 most prolific shoplifters affecting businesses not only in the Town Centre area, but across whole of Weston super Mare.

Investigation into offences committed by these individuals is ongoing as well as background work with local Anti Social Behaviour Team in order to compile evidence package towards ASB interventions available to police disposal in an attempt to tackle their prolific offending.

Two of the top 5 prolific shoplifters were arrested last week and charged with multiple shoplifting offences and breaches of their Criminal Behaviour Orders. One of them was remanded in custody awaiting sentencing on 22/04/25 and the second released on bail pending sentencing on 07/05/25.
North Somerset Magistrates Court sentenced the first shoplifter to 14 weeks in prison.
Further update will be provided on 07/05/25 following the sentencing hearing of the second prolific shoplifter.
 

There has been a spike in reporting of youth related anti-social behaviour from the local businesses and residents in Town Centre area of Weston super Mare.

Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team have been conducting high visibility patrols in the affected areas and following up with the local businesses and North Somerset CCTV. 18 individuals have already been formally identified and partner agencies engaged to determine the plan going forward, so that their behaviour can be addressed.

Further work is ongoing and will include collaboration between North Somerset Community Response, Children Social Services and Youth Offending Service, as well as following up with children's parents to make sure they are aware of their children's whereabouts and incidents they are involved in.

Additional resources for high visibility patrols, through Operation HOLD (hot spot policing to tackle anti-social behaviour), have already been secured and there will be more officers patrolling the streets of Weston Town Centre over the next 3 weeks.

Over the last 2 weeks Neighbourhood Policing Team Officers have been carrying out additional high-visibility patrols in the Town Centre area of Weston super Mare to tackle youth related anti-social behaviour and deter young persons from congregating in large numbers and causing issues to the local businesses.
Several young persons have been identified and work is ongoing towards utilisation of ASB powers to steer them away from criminality.