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Aberdeenshire Shoplifting ASBO

Area

Aberdeenshire

Intelligence - what was the nature of the antisocial behaviour?

Persistent offending in Peterhead Town Centre- particularly theft by shoplifting, assaults and breaches of the peace. There are a core group of persistent offenders who target the area to steal to obtain money to maintain their substance or alcohol misuse habits.

In such instances it is often difficult to separate the anti social behaviour from the criminal behaviour. However, persistent shoplifting can become anti social because of its frequency and because over time shop staff and particularly female shop staff can become intimidated into not dealing with the problem. As a result they can turn a blind eye. This can be very stressful and leads to a deterioration in the quality of life in the commercial heart of a town.

In 2006 an ASBO was applied for in relation to one such persistent offender, a 19 year old youth who committed a series of shopliftings and street robberies. This proved to be very successful despite the fact that the perpetrator continually breached the terms.

This success led to a change in ethos in the Crime Reduction Department at Peterhead. Theft by shoplifting is not a priority crime in Grampian albeit that it is a high frequency crime often committed by priority criminals and can be linked to drugs which are a force priority.

As shoplifting figures continue to rise on an annual basis clearly a more unified strategy was required to reduce the crime.

Although this strategy is centered in peterhead it applies to the towns of Fraserburgh, Turriff and Banff.

Involvement - which partners were involved?

Grampian Police
Aberdeenshire Council ASB Team
North Aberdeenshire Shopwatch groups
Turning Point Scotland
Aberdeenshire Council Social Work Department

Intervention(s) - which intervention(s) were used and why?

The following interventions are all linked.

1. CRU staff devised an Anti Social Behaviour Victim Impact Statement which was disseminated to members of North Aberdeenshire Shop Watch. The members use the form to report instances of anti social behaviour which fall short of an actual crime or where they witness a crime which they feel unable to intervene in. The Community Wardens regularly liase with shop keepers and collect the forms which are collated in the Crime Reduction Office. This system has proved to be very effective and provides up to date intelligence on who is active and behaving in an anti social manner.

2. CRU staff made a review of shoplifting offences and an Action Plan was drafted to link the shoplifting crimes to the T&CG process. The review demonstrated that across the division 8 individuals committed a significant proportion of the offences. The crimes are reviewed on a monthly basis (or when offenders come to notice). This allows the T&CG to task persistent offenders. Persistent shoplifters are spoken to by CRU Staff when in custody.

3. An ASBO was applied for and granted for a 26 year old man with a five year history of shoplifting and violence in the Peterhead Town centre Area. This has proved very effective allthough he continues to breach its terms.

4. In consultation with The Social Work Department, three ABC's were implemented (2 in Peterhead and 1 in Fraserburgh) against three of the most persistent offenders. One of these was a success and the offender is now in employment and has not committed another shoplifting since. The other two were effective for several months until breached. A fourth ABC was implemented in consultation with Turning Point Scotland but was cancelled because of non-compliance.

5. Two ASBO applications for persistent shoplifters in Peterhead and Fraserburgh are pending. If these are succesful there are several other targets being developed.

6. This experience with Turning point has developed into a partenership and Turning Point have received funding for a Persistent Offender Programme which will begin in September, 2007 with the capacity to help up to 30 offenders over a one year period. It is based on the succesful Tower Project.

7. To reinforce the message that shoplifting can be anti social CRU have developed an Anti Social Behaviour Notice which is handed to all persons in custody for shoplfitng in North Aberdeenshire. This is intended to drill the message home that shoplifting is anti social and can have consequences in terms of ASB legislation.

8. CRU have trialled the use of a mobile CCTV camera in Peterhead Town Centre. This was funded by ASB funding.

9. CRU have obtained funding to erect signs in all four town centres warning people that they are about to enter a shop watch area and that shoplifting is anti social. These will be erected in September, 2007.

10. CRU staff regularly brief shop watch members on shoplifting figures and trends. CRU have ASB/PSP pages to brief police staff on the strategy.

Implementation - how were the intervention methods realised in practice?

The interlinked interventions have been introduced over the past 6 months as and when time permits. No press coverage has been sought to avoid over reach. The strategy is very time consuming and has to be fitted in around other work conducted by CRU.

The aim of the Strategy / Action Plan is to link ASB initiatives into everyday policing and provide a sustained and persistent challenge to persistent offenders.

Impact - what were the outcomes for the perpetrator, the victims and the wider community?

It is difficult to assess the impact of the Action Plan / programme because of the rolling nature of persistent offenders. Very often when one succeeds in resolving an offenders persistent behaviour it can be viewed as a success story but the crime figures seldom reflect the success because other persistent offenders come on stream.

In the longer term it is hoped that implementing ASB legislation with other proactive measures leads to a reduction in both offending behaviour and crime figures as well as a safer community.

Are there any practices/experiences you have gained during this Intervention that would influence the handling of future Interventions?

Linking ASBO, ABC and other proactive Crime Reduction measures such as Victim Impact Statements and ASB Notices sends a clear message of future intent to persistent offenders.

The Victim Impact Statements help provide the vital evidence of anti social behaviour often missing from crimefiles. They provide clear evidence of harrasment, abuse and non-complience with requests by shop staff to leave a premises. Shop staff find being ignored stressful and anti social.

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