Fifteen people convicted of shoplifting from a Littleport Co-op each got a hand delivered letter today from East Cambridgeshire police advising that if they return to shop at any Co-op they risk being charged with burglary. It is the toughest action by East Cambridgeshire police to tackle shoplifting in the village.
“As part of Safer Business Action Week, we hand delivered letters to 15 people that have recently been convicted of shoplifting at the Co-op in Main Street, Littleport,” said a police spokesperson.
“The letter informs them that they are banned from the store and other Co-ops and if they go into the shop and steal/intend to steal they will face further action from police.”
It is a follow up letter to one that each shoplifter has received from the Co-op explaining that they have been banned from all Co-operative stores.
The letter from Cambridgeshire police explains that “you have received an official banning notice in the post from the Co-operative. Should you choose to ignore this banning notice, then you must be aware that entering the Co-operative as a trespasser means you are committing the offence of burglary”.
Police warned the shoplifters that each Co-op has CCTV which has a direct link to police and if found inside any of their stores “you will be dealt with robustly by police”.
Safer Business Action Week provides an opportunity for police to highlight their support for the role that businesses play in our local communities.