Crime reporting tool helping seaside businesses

L-R: Councillor Keith Underhill from Teignmouth Town Council, Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez and Jo Gask, owner of The Healthy Pet Shop

Traders in a seaside town believe an online crime reporting tool will make a "big difference".

The UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) Business Crime Reduction Partnership was launched in Teignmouth in August with 12 months of funding from Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez.

So far, 10 businesses and Teignmouth Town Council have signed up to UKPAC which lets people report crimes and share information between themselves and police to tackle repeat offenders.

Jo Gask, owner of The Healthy Pet Shop, said it had come at the right time because traders had reported a rise in shoplifting incidents.

According to the PCC, there were 89 shoplifting offences recorded by police in Teignmouth in the 12 months to June.

Ms Gask said businesses in Teignmouth were a "close-knit community" and were finding positives with UKPAC, which is available on a smartphone app.

"The main thing for me is when you report something the police can see it immediately and it forms a bigger picture to get a better case against offenders which really helps," she said.

"I think it will make a big difference and there's certainly the appetite for it."

The PCC's office said UKPAC was also being used in Torquay, Saltash, Liskeard and Barnstaple and had led to five convictions against repeat offenders in Devon.

Ms Hernandez said it had become an important tool for reporting crime and the overall aim was for UKPAC to be rolled out across more locations.

"It helps build up a really strong case against offenders and can result in action such as exclusion orders from town or antisocial behaviour orders," Ms Hernandez added.