Crime crackdown scheme for Falmouth traders

Street rangers will work with businesses to target issues like shoplifting

An initiative is under way in Falmouth to crack down on anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

The Safe and Secure project will see new street rangers, an online crime reporting system, a town link radio network and enhanced CCTV.

Funded mostly by the town's Business Improvement District (BID), the scheme is a partnership with the town council and local police.

Many high streets have seen an increase in low level crime in recent years, with shoplifting is on the rise across Devon and Cornwall according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Kieran Brownfield from Mountain Warehouse said shoplifters were a real problem

Kieran Brownfield, assistant manager at Mountain Warehouse in the high street, said last summer the store was being targeted by shoplifters two or three times a week.

"We had people literally whipping in the door, grabbing stuff and running back out the door. Obviously it's devastating and a little bit of pride goes as well because you want to act but it's safer not to."

The scheme is offering radios to connect traders with the street rangers, police and the town team.

"It will be a big help just having people in the street you can contact and direct them to where someone's gone," Mr Brownfield said.

The initiative also includes a crime reporting app called Disc that traders can use to take photos or report incidents.

Richard Wilcox: This is what businesses asked for

Richard Wilcox, Falmouth BID executive director, said the scheme was what businesses in the town had asked for.

"During the last consultation just before Christmas overwhelmingly businesses said they wanted greater support and reassurance in respect of anti-social behaviour, low-level crime and shoplifting, so Safe and Secure is a result of that," he said.

Falmouth's neighbourhood policing team have welcomed the collaboration.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics for 2023 show a 37% increase in shoplifting offences in the Devon and Cornwall force area last year.

There were 7,651 offences compared to 5,583 in 2022.

The rise is in line with an increase nationally, with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis being blamed for the rise.

Devon and Cornwall Police said while there has been a rise in shoplifting, the force still has the third lowest rate of any police area in the country for that type of crime.