POLICE officers in Thurrock arrested 29 people on suspicion of shop theft across the borough in January, and secured more than 40 charges.

Three of those were also charged with assaults on retail staff.

Sergeant Sadik Miah, of Thurrock Police's town centres team, says: "Our officers have great local knowledge and are aware of most of our regular offenders, so it is often just a matter of time before we catch up with them and arrest them if we have identified them as suspects."

A South Ockendon man, 30, was jailed for ten months after he was recognised by a patrolling town centre team officer on January 31 from a description supplied by a store he had targeted.

Despite him being on a bicycle she followed him on foot while radioing her position. He was arrested by a colleague minutes later. He admitted three counts of shop theft, four of attempted shop theft, stealing a bicycle and a house burglary when he appeared at court on February 3. 

Sgt Miah says: "We need retailers to report shoplifting and associated anti-social behaviour so we can take action. And we also need good quality CCTV footage and witness statements. With these we can put cases before the courts which leave the offenders with no choice other than to plead guilty.

"Our town centre teams also work closely with the force's specialist business crime officers to advise stores on the best ways to protect their staff and premises while also preventing crime.

"They actively engage with retailers through business forums, providing a platform for representatives to come together, discuss shared challenges, and identify trends - particularly concerning prolific offenders.

"These forums also allow businesses to voice their concerns directly to us, ensuring a collaborative approach to tackling crime."