Retail-related crime is a concern for local businesses in Longton, particularly in relation to persistent shoplifting.

We’ve been actively listening to our business community, who have reported the significant impact this type of crime is having on both staff and shoppers. In response, we’ve completed a Designing Out Crime review in partnership with our Early Intervention and Prevention Unit, identifying environmental and procedural improvements to help deter offending. We have also focused operationally on identifying and targeting priority shoplifters, taking enforcement action including arrests where appropriate. In parallel, officers have been engaging directly with store security teams, working together to implement deterrents and banning known offenders from entering premises.

We recognise that enforcement alone is not the solution, which is why we’ve worked closely with partner agencies to address the underlying causes of retail crime, such as homelessness and wider challenges. Regular rough sleeper outreach and welfare checks have been carried out in the town centre to ensure support is offered where needed.

To help prevent issues, we've shared public safety messages to shoppers around vehicle crime prevention, reminding people to secure their vehicles and keep valuables out of sight when using local car parks. Looking ahead, this area will remain a key focus for us. We will continue to use Civil Powers, such as Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) and Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs), to manage persistent offenders and support safer retail environments.