Trowbridge police consider volunteer CCTV and dedicated officer to cut shoplifting
Police in Trowbridge are testing new tactics, including a dedicated officer and possibly volunteer-run CCTV, to tackle the town's high shoplifting rate.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Police in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, are turning to unconventional methods as the town records the highest rate of shoplifting in the county. In the past year, 205 cases were logged in the central shopping area alone, a figure police believe is far below the true scale of the problem because many shops do not report every incident.
Officers say some shoplifters are highly persistent, with individuals responsible for more than 100 offences. Staff who challenge thieves have also faced violence. One officer described "really nasty incidents" where shoplifters assaulted employees simply doing their job.
Local businesses say the problem is being made worse by online resale. One shopkeeper noted that stolen goods are easily sold online, making theft a quick way to make money. Another admitted that minor thefts often go unreported because filing a report takes too much time, especially when the loss is small, such as a CD case left behind.
To improve the situation, Trowbridge is looking to a nearby town for inspiration. In Warminster, a group of volunteers monitors the town's CCTV system and has a direct radio link to police, allowing officers to be directed to incidents in real time. Police say that scheme has helped improve shoplifting numbers there, and they are now considering adopting a similar approach in Trowbridge.
As well as the possible volunteer-run CCTV, Trowbridge will receive a new dedicated officer responsible for working with businesses. The aim is to encourage more reporting and ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Police hope that a combination of better reporting, real-time links, and a focused officer will reduce the town's shoplifting rate, which is among the highest in the country.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| There were 205 recorded shoplifting cases in central Trowbridge in the past year. | |
| Trowbridge has the highest shoplifting rate in Wiltshire. | |
| Trowbridge will receive a dedicated officer to work with businesses on shoplifting. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focused on the scale of Trowbridge's shoplifting problem and the practical solutions under consideration. It gave prominence to the success of Warminster's volunteer CCTV scheme and the planned dedicated officer, while also letting local businesses voice frustrations about underreporting and the ease of online resale.
- “You'll get somebody who will have over 100 convictions for shoplifting offences.”
- “In the past year, there were 205 recorded cases of shoplifting in central Trowbridge. That's just around the main shopping area. The highest rate across the whole county.”
- “I think the next step forward for us, really to build on the success that Warminster have had, would be for us potentially to move in that sort of direction, where we could have those links real time, to be able to direct officers to where they need to be.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.