Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Constable Scott Chilton has spoken about what police are doing for young people in the community, and how the police are tackling shoplifting.
Chief Constable Chilton has been in the post at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary since February 2023, working with Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones to deliver policing in the region.
As reported by the Office of National Statistics in October 2024, shoplifting is at its highest level since current police recording practices began for the year ending March 2003.
According to figures reported by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, shoplifting offences across the region rose by 38.8 per cent to 14,233 offences in the year to March 2024 compared with the previous year's 10,252 offences.
Formal action was taken on 3,879 (27.3 per cent) shoplifting offences in the year to March 2024, compared to 2,082 shoplifting offences (20.3 per cent) in the year to March 2023.
The Chief Constable told the County Press in an interview: "The changes we've put in place is that we will now focus on those people who do this type of crime, feeling as though they're not going to be caught, that's simply not the case.
"We're using the latest technology through facial recognition to protect people who work in shops.
"There is a wider issue here though regarding general addiction and support for people that need to commit that type of crime.
"Through the Police and Crime Commissioner's office and my local neighbourhood teams, we are working to try and make sure this is a system response and not just the police arresting their way out of a problem, because that is not the long-term solution.
"But, I have to be crystal clear, people who go and think they can walk in shops and take things and nothing will happen are absolutely wrong.
"And if we get the support from the courts and the criminal justice system, then we're some way in resolving the problem."
The Chief Constable also touched on how the police force will support young people, but also handle crime.
He said: "There are some significant challenges for young people on the Isle of Wight.
"The last thing anybody wishes to happen is for young people to drift into crime perhaps through anti-social behaviour, or where there isn't an intervention.
"What I expect is our local neighbourhood teams, our local beat bobby, getting to know the young people to build relationships, and also realising that the police they're there to help them.
"But if they do drift into the area of committing crime, they will be dealt with as well."
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