News

Hucknall retailers say shoplifting is still getting worse despite Notts Police support

By Tommy Bonnet

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Hucknall shop owners say they feel shoplifting in the town is still getting worse despite police improving their support.

In an effort to combat thefts in Hucknall, Kirby and Sutton, officers are visiting dozens of shops to help retailers better deal with the problem.

Notts Police say they are advising shop staff on CCTV management, collection of witness statements and gathering evidence in an efficient way to help police convict potential suspects.

Inspector Chris Boylin, District Commander for Ashfield said: “Shoplifting and antisocial behaviour are priority areas for us to tackle, which is why we are asking shop staff to help in this way.

“This initiative is about empowering our retailers to respond in the most effective way when they are targeted.”

But several Hucknall retailers told Notts TV they still feel they have largely been dealing with the problems themselves.

Falah Ibrahem, owner of Top Drinks on the Hucknall High Street, estimates he loses around £3,000 a year due to shoplifting.

Mr Ibrahem installed protective glass in his shop, as well as 24 hour CCTV with “nine cameras outside and 16 cameras inside just for shoplifting”.

He said: “I can’t rely on the police, I need the police when you call them to come for you to help the community.”

Similarly, Hucknall Sue Ryder charity shop manager Rebecca Bunn said: “This year out of my new goods stock, I’m down around £1,200 in stolen and lost goods.”

As a manager of the shop for five years, she said: “The shoplifting has gotten progressively worse, and the police haven’t done anything to help.”

“Recently two mattresses were stolen and I didn’t ring the police because it’s a waste of my time.”

However, Rebecca said the shop is a pillar in the community for supporting the homeless: “I get really angry when people do come and take from the shop, because we do help people who have drug problems.

“If anyone comes into this shop and asks can we have a tent, sleeping bag, clothes, anything we give it to them.”

Figures from across the whole of Hucknall show there were 62 shoplifting crimes reported in August, compared with 87 in July and 72 in June – a total of 221 in three months.

Across the same three months in 2023 there were 169.

Inspector Boylin added: “My officers are currently issuing template witness statements which can very quickly be returned to us.

“They are also checking on stores’ CCTV systems and ensuring staff know how to download and send footage to us.”

In most cases police can only keep an arrested person in custody for 24 hours before they have to release them back into the community.

The idea of the new initiative, Notts Police say, is to ensure time is sufficient to gather all necessary evidence so criminal charges are brought.

The force also says local officers are also working to target repeat offenders with restrictive civil court orders – which can prevent them doing certain things or ban them entirely from town centres.