Shopkeepers in Croydon have voiced support for Croydon Council's plans to explore a GPS-tagging pilot for persistent shoplifters, hoping it will address rampant theft and violence in the town centre.
Retailers' frustrations and hopes
Benedict Selvaratnam, Managing Director of Freshfields Market, described frequent and sometimes violent encounters with shoplifters. Recalling an incident where staff were bottled after trying to retrieve stolen wine, he said, “It’s not what we sign up to do.”
Persistent shoplifting has left retailers frustrated with the existing system, with some choosing not to report incidents to police due to lack of confidence in action. However, the council's proposed pilot, which could require offenders to wear GPS ankle tags under a legal order, offers hope.
“We think it is a positive step,” said Benedict, co-founder and representative of the Croydon Business Association (CBA). “This will empower shopkeepers to take action.”
Impact on businesses
Benedict says rampant and unpunished shoplifting is raised regularly by the 450 businesses in the CBA. “It’s always coming up in the WhatsApp groups,” he added. He believes the GPS-tagging pilot, successfully trialled in East Sussex, offers a step up from current measures.
“We ban shoplifters and say they are not welcome here, but they still keep coming back,” said Benedict. “By the time the police come they are long gone. A lot of retailers are not bothering because they have no faith in the system.”
Areas like Church Street are affected by gang activity and low-level street crime. “There is a lot of crime out there,” he said. Freshfields employed security last summer, and the butcher occasionally doubles as a security guard.
Crime statistics and enforcement
There were 4,796 reported shop thefts in Croydon town centre in the last 12 months, down 4.9 per cent from 5,043 the previous year. Benedict said some shoplifters exploit gaps in enforcement and transport links, including the tram stop outside Freshfields, to evade prosecution.
He believes GPS tagging could provide evidence of offenders breaching exclusion zones, helping police enforce restrictions and secure convictions. The council is leading discussions with the Met Police and technology provider BUDDI, but a start date depends on securing funding.
Last month, the council secured a borough-wide ban against David Tench, who it said had “caused misery for local businesses and residents”. Croydon is also working with partners through its Town Centre Taskforce, and Parkguard Patrol officers have been deployed in hotspot areas this summer.
Mayor's statement
Announcing the plans, Mayor Jason Perry said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It threatens people’s livelihoods, drives up prices for honest customers and leaves shop workers facing intimidation and abuse simply for doing their jobs.
“Our businesses have had enough of prolific offenders repeatedly targeting their shops, and so have I. My message is clear – that if you come to Croydon to steal, you should expect consequences.
“Zero-tolerance means backing our businesses and using every legal tool available to protect them. GPS tagging could help us monitor persistent shoplifting offenders, enforce exclusion zones and prevent the same people returning time and again to cause more harm.
“We have already secured a borough-wide ban against one persistent antisocial behaviour offender and put additional accredited officers on our streets. Now we want to go further.
“I am determined that Croydon will lead the way in taking tough, practical action against shoplifting. We will continue working with the police, businesses and technology providers to develop this pilot and make Croydon a safer place in which to work, shop and live.”
