Neighbourhood police have vowed to continue the fight against shoplifting after a persistent offender was given a strict court order for thefts in West Bridgford.
Darren Smallwood was handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) by magistrates after recently targeting stores in The Meadows and West Bridgford.
The 36-year-old is now banned from entering Co-op stores in the Bridgeway Centre and Bridgford Road, West Bridgford, for a two-year period.
Inspector Steve Dalby, neighbourhood policing inspector for City South, said: “CBOs are an effective tool in our battle against shop theft, and repeat offenders like Smallwood can expect a robust response from police and the courts if they breach them.
“These court orders have real teeth and recent sentences handed down to other offenders who have breached them reflect that. By working effectively with our partners we can secure these orders and make it an offence for persistent shoplifters to even enter individual premises.
“Smallwood has long been identified as a prolific shoplifter and is well-known to shop staff.
“We hope the order will serve as a deterrent to him and give businesses some respite.”
Officers from the Rushcliffe neighbourhood policing team achieved a reduction in shop thefts of almost half this summer after they developed a new patrol plan to target resources at the problem in West Bridgford.
The initiative ensures officers are patrolling key locations in the town at the right times to provide a visible presence and react quickly to offences taking place.
Inspector Tim Cuthbert, neighbourhood policing inspector for Rushcliffe, said:
“We understand shoplifting and associated criminality can cause serious headaches for businesses which is why we are always looking at new ways to tackle it.
“The importance of partnership working with local businesses and shop staff cannot be overstated when looking at ways to reduce this sort of offending.
“The changes we made to the patrol plan for West Bridgford aim to ensure officers are where they need to be when they need to be there and are using all the technology at their disposal.
“The changes also mean we can target the relatively small number of prolific repeat offenders like Smallwood who commit a disproportionate number of all shop thefts.
“I’d like to thank all the officers who helped with the investigation, particularly PC Matt Holden, beat manager for West Bridgford, who successfully applied for the order.”
Smallwood, of Lace Street, Dunkirk, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday (11 September).
He pleaded guilty to stealing steaks worth £40 from Sainsbury’s, West Bridgford, on 28 August, and taking £30 of cheese from the shelves at Co-op, Sneinton Dale, on 4 September.
