Shop thefts have been described as a priority for Police across Wolverhampton, and over the last two weeks ten people have been arrested and charged with offences in the Wednesfield and Bilston areas.
A suspected shop thief appeared in court in Wolverhampton yesterday (16 June), charged with 15 offences as the force continued its ‘crackdown’ on retail crime. Scott England was arrested following a theft from a store in Wednesfield and charged with a total of 15 theft offences involving the stealing of hundreds of pounds worth of goods.
Another man, Robert Brady-Ward, aged 34, has been charged with 14 theft offences since February, following his arrest in Willenhall on Thursday (12 June).
The teams say they’re focussed on tackling criminals who steal from the area’s shops and stores as it understands how these thefts “can impact both our traders, their staff and also our wider communities,” it says.
Sgt Emma Clark, from Bilston & Wednesfield Police, added: “Over the last couple of weeks, 10 men and women have been arrested and charged with thefts covering dozens of offences at shops and convenience stores in the area.
“We’re keeping the pressure up with regular targeted patrols in the shopping centres and precincts to act as a deterrent, and we’re also acting on information from the public as we send a clear message that those who carry out shops thefts will be pursued and brought before the courts.”
However, it’s not all bad news. The force says it believes some of the offending is driven by addiction, and West Midland Police’s innovative Offending to Recovery (O2R) scheme has recently expanded into Wolverhampton as part of the ongoing work on retail crime there.
The O2R programme accepts referrals from retailers and members of the public concerned about someone’s substance use funded by criminal activity such as shop theft. It works with drug and alcohol practitioners and a number of charities to provide intervention after enforcement, reducing the chance of reoffending.
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