Welwyn Hatfield Labour is welcoming the new policies to protect our retail workers and prevent retail crime in Welwyn Hatfield.
Locally, Andrew Lewin MP has been meeting with shopworkers across the constituency to hear these concerns firsthand, notably at the Brookmans Park Co-op, which has been targeted in multiple break ins.
Following a similar surge in national shoplifting offences surpassing 500,000 annually, our Labour Prime Minister has announced immediate legislative action to protect staff and high streets.
New Protection Measures
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Standalone Offence: Assaulting a retail worker is now a specific crime, providing the same legal protections as emergency workers.
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Repealing the £200 Rule: The 2014 regulation treating thefts under £200 as low value has been scrapped. This was a Conservative policy that essentially made low value shoplifting legal. All shoplifting is now subject to full investigation and prosecution.
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Frontline Policing: 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers are being deployed to increase visibility in shopping areas.
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Gang Crackdown: £5 million is being invested in the Opal unit to dismantle organised retail crime syndicates. (Opal is the UK’s national intelligence unit dedicated to tackling serious organised acquisitive crime, and focuses on organised shoplifting gangs and high-harm offenders.
The new measures have already led to a 17% rise in shop theft charges nationally, and ensure that criminals targeting local businesses in Welwyn Hatfield will face the full force of the law.