Tory police chief faces backlash over telling public to stop shoplifters
A police chief faces criticisms about the “dangerous” interpretations of the people to stop the shops and not only trust police officers to prevent theft.
Thames Valley’s conservative police and criminal commissioner Matthew Barber branded people who did not do anything in the face of theft as “part of the problem”.
Thames Valley Maidenhead’s liberal democratic deputy Joshua Reynolds launched a strong criticism of Mr. Barber and Independent “Dangerous” and “irresponsible ..
And after Mr. Barber’s allegations, Police Minister Dame Diana Diana Johnson warned the people of the people against confrontation.
Reaction, the number of theft crimes recorded by the police in the UK and Wales broke another record with an increase of 20 percent from 2023-24 in 2024-25 years.
Last month, Interior Minister Yette Cooper announced a new crime to break the crime, a more visible policing and a stronger practice, a stronger practice to recover the trust in policing.
But Independent The recent tradesmen are fighting against the wave of theft crimes.
In response to the crisis, Telegram The reported Mr. Barber said: “If you will not challenge people, you will not stop and stop them, then people will get rid of it. This is not just about policing. This is a greater problem with this society, people [don’t do anything] – You’re part of the problem. “
In June, Thames Valley said at a meeting of the police and the criminal panel that “for a moment he wanted to argue that people should feel that“ perceived criminals perceived “to take every criminal on the ground”.
However, he added: ız We should all be responsible for our community.
“If there is someone in your store now, call 999. Also, ideally try to try to quit them, just don’t stand there and don’t watch, don’t watch many people do, let me disappoint me.”
In the meantime, retailers accused the police of not doing enough to fight against theft.
A new survey revealed that almost nine (88 percent) of pharmacies had an increase in theft last year. 87 percent of the pharmacy teams reported an increase in aggressive or scary behavior, 22 percent of the staff witnessed physical attacks, he said. However, almost three -quarters (73 percent) of those who reported these examples to the police said that they thought that the response was insufficient.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which conducts the survey of 476 pharmacies in the UK and represents more than 6,000 independent community pharmacies, describes the findings as “unacceptable”.
In response to the Commissioner’s comments, Reynolds said: “With all respects to the Police and Crime Commissioner, the shop staff or the audience ‘challenges’ are not only irresponsible, but also dangerous.
“After working in supermarkets before, I have personally experienced the threat of violence from theft. It is completely unreasonable to imply that any individual should risk themselves in such cases – and obviously irresponsible.
“The fight against crime on our high streets should not fall to those who shop or people who do weekly stores – falls into the police. And if they are not there enough, something for the commissioner’s deflection.
“The public has the right to wait for security in the communities. This security comes from the moral lessons for shop workers and citizens trying to continue their daily lives, but visible, proactive policing.
“If the commissioner wants to see that more people come into play, the police need to start by showing that they will be there to support them – not by harming them.
And BBC Radio Talks in the 4s Today The program, Mrs. Johnson said: im I wouldn’t recommend people to fight a person who stole.
Im I met someone playing in a store in Hull. I went directly to the assistant to tell them what was going on. I felt the best thing.
“Obviously, a judiciary for individuals to take, but I’m worried about feeling that people should go. I don’t think it is appropriate.”
However, Mr. Barber told Telegraph that he had stopped in his statements: “This is just the idea that it is a job for the police, the citizens do not have responsibility, the head down, continue, don’t be involved, I think this is for a very poor society.”
However, he emphasized that the people did not imply that the people should “take steps to the place where the police are not present, because the police emphasized the clear role in the fight against crime.
“But definitely an alternative to intervene, if there is a crime in society, it is lowering your head down, continue your life, ignore it, is it true?”
A home office spokesman Independent: “We understand the destructive effect of shop theft on retailers. Visible, sensitive, restoring neighborhood policies, more than 500 city center is taking extra patrols and in the next spring, the first 3,000 increase in neighborhood officers and PCSOs will be around the country.
“Our Landmark crime and police invoice will also bring a certain crime to attack retail employees and will end the effective immunity of goods under £ 200 pounds for store theft. In addition, the retail crime together brings more than one data source from the sector and the police to better target and answer the perpetators.”
They added that the government has provided more than £ more than £ more than £ to support the police to fight for retail crime in the next three years.
