More than 30 arrests in 7 days for shoplifting and robbery in Cheshire
Cheshire Police have been positioned in retail parks and town centres
A focused week of policing efforts in Cheshire led to more than 30 arrests as officers launched Operation Watchmaker to combat retail crime.
The operation ran from Monday, 16th March to Sunday, 22nd March, coinciding with a national week of action orchestrated by the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships.
During the week, Cheshire Constabulary took to patrols across major retail parks and town centres, actively engaging with retailers, security staff, business partners, and the general public.
The initiative yielded significant results, with a total of 32 arrests made; 29 were for shoplifting, two for robbery, and one for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order.
Additionally, police secured 49 charges for individual offences throughout the week, including multiple charges for certain individuals.
Chief Inspector Dan Reynolds expressed pride in the operation's outcomes, stating, "I am incredibly proud of the work our officers have put into this week of action. It has resulted in some fantastic results, including 32 arrests, multiple charges, plus valuable engagement with businesses and shoppers."
Beyond arrests, one person was also recalled to prison following their involvement.
Officers issued 17 community resolutions and two Youth Restorative Disposals as part of their community engagement strategy.
Retailers were urged to join Cheshire Police's ‘Report and Support’ campaign, a strategy designed not just to report crimes like shoplifting but also to bolster police investigations with images and videos captured as evidence.
Visual evidence is crucial, enabling police to use retrospective facial recognition technology to identify suspects more efficiently, which during Operation Watchmaker resulted in 10 positive hits from 22 submissions.
Chief Inspector Reynolds added, “The impact of retail crime cannot be underestimated, and this national week of action from the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships is a testament to our collective ongoing efforts to tackle this issue head-on.”
Operation Watchmaker may have concluded, but as Reynolds assured, tackling retail crime remains an ongoing priority.
“Our fight against those who choose to cause misery to local businesses continues,” Reynolds said.
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