Crackdown on shoplifting and crime in Birmingham this winter
Winter of Action patrols aim to increase safety during festive months in Birmingham's shopping hotspots
A new initiative aimed at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour across town centres will run this winter as part of efforts to protect shoppers, retail workers, and communities during the busy festive season.
The Winter of Action, which launches on 1st December 2025 and runs until 31st January 2026, follows the government’s Safer Streets Summer campaign. It will see police increase hotspot patrols and take quick visible enforcement steps to target shoplifting, street crime, and other offences. Local approaches will be tailored to address issues in communities across hundreds of town centres nationwide.
Figures from the summer campaign showed over 16,000 arrests and fines issued, alongside a 5% drop in the public’s experience or witnessing of anti-social behaviour in town centres, according to surveys from IPSOS. The public’s concerns about crime deterring visits to their city or town centres also fell by 4%.
Focus on retail and high streets
Retail crime, which has been on the rise over recent years, will be a particular focus of the Winter of Action. Speaking about the initiative, Home Secretary Shabanna Mahmood said shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are damaging communities.
“This winter we are launching a crime-fighting blitz with police patrolling our high streets across the country,” Mahmood said. “This is part of our wider plans to fight crime with 3,000 more police on the beat by the spring to catch criminals and make our communities safe.”
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “We welcome the ‘Winter of Action,’ building on the great work seen over the summer with the Safer Streets initiative.
“Incidents of theft, violence, and abuse tend to spike around Christmas, so it’s encouraging to see government taking action against retail crime.”
Dr Lynne Baird MBE, Founder of the Daniel Baird Foundation and member of the government's Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, praised the introduction of HEX zones targeting areas most affected by knife crime.
We spoke with her about how said concentrating resources, community engagement, and tailored interventions in these high-risk locations is a crucial step in addressing the root causes of violence.
She told us about the importance of equipping these areas with Bleed Control Kits and raising public awareness, adding that immediate intervention can save lives alongside preventative measures.
Targeted action on knife crime
From December, police will deploy new hotspot zones called HEX to tackle knife crime in high-risk areas around the UK. These zones are hyperlocal, spanning an area the size of 10 football pitches, and use police intelligence and local data to identify places most impacted by knife crime.
Initial HEX pilots will focus on selected areas in towns and cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Peterborough, and five boroughs in London. The initiative will include problem-solving with community partners alongside enforcement and youth diversion schemes.
Nerys Thomas, Director at the College of Policing, said: “Protecting the public has, and always will be, the police’s top priority. These pilots enable forces to test locally grounded and evidence-based solutions for knife crime and understand what works best for each community.”
Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, described HEX as a long-overdue, decisive step to prevent further tragedies.
“When my son was murdered by a 16-year-old carrying a 22-inch weapon in broad daylight, the government acted by banning that weapon. Now, that same determination is being shown through the HEX patrol hubs, which offer hope of creating safer areas,” Kanda said.
Wider high street support
Increased patrols in nightlife hotspots during Christmas and New Year will also focus on tackling violence against women, alongside efforts to prevent drink spiking incidents.
The Winter of Action forms part of a broader government drive to restore neighbourhood policing through initiatives like the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, with named officers assigned to every community and anti-social behaviour leads in each police force.
From Spring 2026, police officers will be given new powers to tackle shop theft and assaults on retail workers, including Respect Orders and a specific offence for attacking retail staff.
Retail leaders such as Kari Rodgers of Primark and Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association, welcomed the steps being taken to address high street crime. Goodacre said removing repeat offenders of retail crime will make a positive long-term difference for shop owners.
“The Winter of Action initiative is an important step toward making high streets safer during their busiest period,” Rodgers said.