Grantham, Spalding and Stamford identified as towns to be part of crime crack down

Police will be working with other authorities to clamp down on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in towns as part of a new Government initiative.

Grantham, Spalding and Stamford are among the nine Lincolnshire towns which have been identified by the Home Office for the Keeping Town Centres Safe this summer initiative.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones has stressed that the county’s police force - which is the worst funded in the country - is already ‘stretched to the limit’ but has had a number of successes.

The force will be working with a number of other authorities on this initiative such as British Transport Police, firefighters, councils and the probation service on this project.

Mr Jones said: “I welcome the Home Secretary’s commitment to drive down retail crime, street crime and anti-social behaviour but, as always, it is important to note that Lincolnshire Police is stretched to the limit as we grapple with the funding issues resulting from generations of underfunding.

“That is why working in partnership has always been so important in Lincolnshire. If all agencies and partners work together we all have a better chance of keeping our communities safe. Pooling our resources gives us the best chance of achieving the kind of positive results we all want for the county and so joint working is already very well developed here.

“I have written to all our partners asking them to share their scheduled activities over the summer months so my office can create a full picture of the various efforts being made, identify gaps, and finalise an action plan.”

“It is important to note, though, that despite Lincolnshire Police’s resource challenge the force continues to outperform against others. For instance, shoplifting has increased by 20% across England and Wales but only 10% in Lincolnshire, while burglary has reduced by only 6% nationally compared to 16% in Lincolnshire.”

The Home Office has indentified the following Lincolnshire towns as being ‘in scope’ for the intiative : Boston, Gainsborough, Grantham, Lincoln, Louth, Mablethorpe High Street, Skegness, Spalding, Stamford.

Other partners involved in the initiative, which is due to start on June 30, include youth services, community organisations, Lincolnshire Integrated Care Boards, education, businesses and community safety partnerships.

Spalding Shopwatch Co-ordinator Stuart Brotherton, who has previously called for tougher sentences for shoplifters as well as sorting out the root causes such as addiction after experience of helping retailers across the county.

He had previously told a Spalding Town Forum meeting that 90% of shoplifting incidents in the town are carried out by people with ‘entrenched’ drug and alcohol issues.

Mr Brotherton said: “Anything that deters shoplifters and other crimes in the town centre is a good thing.”

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