MPs take on the scourge of retail crime

The APPG on retail crime, safe and sustainable high streets, chaired by Steve McCabe, MP for Selly Oak, came together on Wednesday of this week came to discuss with retailers and the police how they can ensure that there is a crackdown on retail crime.

Ian Paisley Jr MP, co-chair of the group, praised the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman’s latest pledge that she will “not tolerate violence and abuse against any shopworker”, and the group confirmed that they wanted to show all Parliamentarians the impact of retail crime on their constituents.  Confirming the groups intent to showcase the issue through an event, Steve McCabe “It is certainly worth putting this together to get more MPs talking about retail crime and raising its profile.”

To bring the issue home retailers at the meeting agreed to provide evidence, including police reports and CCTV, and City of London, police superintendent Patrick Holdaway supported the move confirming that the police need to help retailers dealing with it as only 5% of retail crime was currently reported.

To conclude, McCabe also discussed the potential “opportunity for retailers” to host roundtables within their local areas, to help strike up relationships with police officers and concerned parties. “We can look into how we can help retailers,” he said. This was following the news that Laurence Robertson MP, another vice chair of the group was hosting such an event in his constituency that evening.