Shoplifter held four hours waiting for police
Sutton Cornfield England Aug 12 2018 A shoplifting suspect was allegedly held by security guards in Sutton Coldfield for four hours before police finally arrived, a meeting was told.
Andrew Mitchell had chaired a meeting with the town’s head of police, Chief Superintendent Jane Bailey, and business bosses over rising crime.
The meeting heard concerns about an increase in shoplifting and aggressive begging and police response times.
It also heard claims that in one case a security guard had to ‘restrain a shoplifter for more than four hours before a police officer attended’.
The business community had also voiced concerns that a lack of guidelines from the police had led to concerns that there was a ‘lower threshold’ of what warrants police attention.
Another issue raised was the relatively low level of police presence in the town centre at night, which had also led to a ‘rise anti-social behaviour’.
Cllr Ewan Mackey said the police ‘denied there was a threshold’ below which they would not attend an incident with Ch Supt Bailey saying she would go back and ask for shoplifting calls to be ‘prioritised’.
Cllr Mackey said: “We don’t only want police to be visible but we want them to be more connected to the people and businesses in the town.” Cllr Mackey urged the police to give councillors ‘something to work with’.
olutions discussed included the Gracechurch Centre to ‘contract people to monitor CCTV at night’, which would lead to more responsive and joined-up approach from the police.
Following the meeting, Mr Mitchell said: “This meeting was a helpful forum for frank discussions on how local policing can improve.
“I know that Chief Superintendent Jane Bailey takes these business concerns seriously and I am pleased that guidance will be issued to our local businesses so that there is clarity as to what to do in the event of any crime.”
