'Shoplifting in bulk' as anti-social arrests rise

Officer Darren Watson who has been with the Neighbourhood Policing team in Lambeth

Arrests for anti-social behaviour are up by a third in London compared to the previous year, the Met Police has said.

More than 1,300 arrests took place between 30 June and 10 August in 20 of the city's hotspots.

Among those arrested was a suspected shoplifter who has been charged with carrying out 113 offences in Waltham Forest over 10 days, as well as a man found with seven stolen phones in Tower Hamlets, according to the force.

The Met analysed crime data to identify the 20 town centres and high streets across London that have the biggest challenge with anti-social behaviour, theft and street crime.

Darren Watson from the Neighbourhood Policing Team for Lambeth said: "The main issue is prolific offenders, they will come in stores and essentially clear shelving units, they're shoplifting in bulk and the values are high.

"The work we've been doing for a few years now has been about targeting the prolific offenders with plain clothes officers, uniformed officers and thorough investigations.

"We've been linking their offending up so that when we charge them, it's for multiple, say five or more offences."

Deputy assistant commissioner Ben Russell, the Met's lead for Safer Summer Streets, said: "Town centres across London continue to see an enhanced police presence this summer, building on reductions in theft, burglary, knife crime and robbery achieved so far this year, and more shoplifting cases solved.

"Through precise community crimefighting and intensified multi-agency action in 20 hotspots areas, offending is down and arrests are up."

Delivered in partnership with local authorities, each borough continues to see increased police and partner activity in hotspot areas including Stratford, Woolwich Town Centre, Finsbury Park, Croydon Town Centre, Shepherds Bush Green, Elephant and Castle, Seven Sisters and the West End.

The activity is part of the Home Office's Safer Summer Streets campaign running until the end of September, which will see officers focusing on reducing criminality and anti-social behaviour.