Scheme launched to help traders report shoplifting

Businesses are being encouraged to sign up to a free tool to tackle shoplifting as part of a year-long project.

Home Office figures show Barnstaple is the second highest hotspot for shoplifting in Devon for 2025-2026 with 332 offences.

Peter Youings, who owns Youings Toymaster, Barnstaple, said shoplifting had become "prolific". He added: "I think when you are suspicious of somebody and you see them in the shop and you think they've gone away with something, it's very upsetting."

Devon and Cornwall Police said businesses can sign up to a free 12-month subscription to UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) which aims to provide an easy way to report theft, anti-social behaviour and violence.

Roger Burgess, services and safety associate at Marks & Spencer, said he sometimes saw 20 to 30 different incidents of shoplifting a week.

"That could be anything from a very expensive coat all the way down to sausage rolls or a newspaper," he said.

Burgess added: "When you see something like that happen obviously safety is paramount. If somebody's adamant they're going to take it you're not going to stop them."

He said by being polite and offering people a basket or going up to them in the food hall it "tells them that I've spotted them and then they can either decide to hastily retreat towards the exit or go and pay for the items."

Francis Broster, owner of gift shop, A Little Something, said: "It's just annoying that people come in and they feel that they can just help themselves.

"We've had a lot of our expensive stuff taken."

Insp Andy Wills, who heads up the Barnstaple policing team, said: "The UKPAC system is being introduced as part of a multi-agency project which will empower our community to work together and help our officers tackle anti-social behaviour and improve community safety in the town.

"Information and intelligence provided to us using this new system will be key for officers collating evidence and will help us to achieve better outcomes, more quickly.

"I hope that our commitment to this project sends a clear message that we are committed to tackling crime against businesses in Barnstaple and offenders will be dealt with robustly."

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