ESSEX Police reported this week that the force has secured 4,000 shoplifting charges in the past year, 500 more than the previous 12 months, an increase of 12.5%.

Assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin said: "More charges and fewer offences – we're getting a grip of shoplifting."

ACC Pavelin highlighted the work of the neigbourhood policing and business crime teams in tackling shop theft.

He said: "Now, due to our hard work, over the last year shoplifting levels have fallen with more than 600 fewer offences, and we're solving more cases.

"Four thousand charges works out as almost 11 secured every day and highlights the success we're having at putting suspects in front of the courts."

One part of the force's effort in tackling shoplifting has been to get suspects into court as quickly as possible.

ACC Pavelin said: "Where the evidence is strong enough, we're able to go straight to charge rather than having to arrest an offender and bring them in for an interview where they might just go 'no comment'.

"And, at court, offenders are also more likely to plead guilty due to the weight of evidence against them."

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And he added: "At least one major national retailer has told us we're one of the top forces in the country for tackling shoplifting.

"But we're not complacent and we know there's more to be done."

The Essex force has also been working to obtain criminal behaviour orders (CBOs) against those convicted, which ban offenders from certain shops or areas.

The latest figures reverse a trend highlighted at the end of 2024 when the number of shoplifting offences in the county rose 17.55 per cent, year on year, from 9,907 to 12,016.

"The number of offences rose to more than 14,000 the following year, though Essex has seen a 4% drop in reported shoplifting over the last financial year with just over a quarter leading to a prosecution, but more than half did not result in an arrest.