First shoplifters to be tagged revealed by police
The first thieves fitted with electronic tags were discovered by Sussex Police.
Barry Farthing, 41, and Victoria Hale, 50, were ordered to wear the tags for 12 months and avoid certain areas where supermarkets are located in East Sussex.
Sussex Police said it was the first force in the country to tag prolific shoplifters as part of a drive to reduce reoffending.
of the region police and crime commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne is leading a pilot project A company that uses GPS technology to track the movements of repeat offenders and deter crime.
In separate cases, Hale, from Eastbourne, was tagged for burglary, while Farthing, from Hastings, was to be fitted with the device after serving eight months in prison for burglary, Sussex Police said.
Under the scheme, repeat offenders will be fitted with minor ankle tags under court-imposed Criminal Behavior Orders or with the agreement of the probation service.
Police said the technology would track shoplifters in real time and allow for “swift action” if conditions were breached or devices were tampered with.
Police hope GPS ankle devices to track repeat offenders will deter crime [BBC]
John Bownas, of the Hastings Commercial Crime Reduction Partnership, said he hoped the scheme would send a “strong message” to people that they could not steal goods without consequences.
“Given that shoplifting cases are on the rise across the country, this could be an important step in reversing the trend,” he added.
More than 20,000 burglary offenses were reported in Sussex in the year to March; According to the Office for National Statistics, there was a 12% increase compared to the previous year.
Divisional Officer Katy Woolford said crime had a “tremendous impact” on businesses and the community.
He added: “We will use all the tools at our disposal to support businesses and ensure prolific criminals are brought to justice.
“We are leading the way with this innovative program to tackle repeat crime in Sussex and we will continue to work closely with our partners to protect our business community.”
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