Desperate mums are turning to shoplifting “just to live” as
a result of the recession, a police chief has warned.
Durham Police Commissioner Ron Hogg said Austerity Britain meant the force was adopting a more ‘humane’ approach to such crime.
As Tory cuts bite into benefits and hit the most vulnerable in society, cops are working with support agencies to prevent some offenders going to prison.
Mr Hogg’s call came after both Lancashire and Cleveland forces reported rises in the theft of ‘basic food items’ such as bread, cheese and milk.
He said: “These are people who are committing crime quite often out of desperation, they have young children.
“What we must do is to take a humane approach to this. It stops the offending which is what we want to.”
Lancashire Chief Constable Steve Finnigan told how starving families were turning to shoplifting to put food on the table earlier this year.
He said: “The offenders are first-time offenders and when you talk to them, they are not doing this to sell stuff on. The stuff they talk about is food stuff.”
Cleveland Police crime commissioner Barry Coppinger reported the same trend.
Mr Hogg said there was an increase of around eight per cent in crimes such as shop lifting, bike theft and shed burglaries across the Durham force area.
He added: “There are a number of reasons, the cuts to policing, we have lost around 200 officers and staff, and that will continue. We can’t provide the same service. We try to protect police on the front line but it is very hard.
“We are seeing an increase in general theft like shop lifting and bicycle theft, burglary of shed but seeing people steeling food simply just to live.
“What were are trying to do is to work closely with partners. We are also dealing with female offenders around a pre-charge disposal so if they agree to behave in certain way, we give help as do other agencies.
“We don’t charge them, we don’t want them to go to court. We help them get through their difficulties.
“Is this soft? I don’t know. This prevents them going to prison and it prevents their children going into care. I think it is a sensible way to help what are fundamentally descent people in difficult times.”
Daily Mirror
Durham Police Commissioner Ron Hogg said Austerity Britain meant the force was adopting a more ‘humane’ approach to such crime.
As Tory cuts bite into benefits and hit the most vulnerable in society, cops are working with support agencies to prevent some offenders going to prison.
Mr Hogg’s call came after both Lancashire and Cleveland forces reported rises in the theft of ‘basic food items’ such as bread, cheese and milk.
He said: “These are people who are committing crime quite often out of desperation, they have young children.
“What we must do is to take a humane approach to this. It stops the offending which is what we want to.”
Lancashire Chief Constable Steve Finnigan told how starving families were turning to shoplifting to put food on the table earlier this year.
He said: “The offenders are first-time offenders and when you talk to them, they are not doing this to sell stuff on. The stuff they talk about is food stuff.”
Cleveland Police crime commissioner Barry Coppinger reported the same trend.
Mr Hogg said there was an increase of around eight per cent in crimes such as shop lifting, bike theft and shed burglaries across the Durham force area.
He added: “There are a number of reasons, the cuts to policing, we have lost around 200 officers and staff, and that will continue. We can’t provide the same service. We try to protect police on the front line but it is very hard.
“We are seeing an increase in general theft like shop lifting and bicycle theft, burglary of shed but seeing people steeling food simply just to live.
“What were are trying to do is to work closely with partners. We are also dealing with female offenders around a pre-charge disposal so if they agree to behave in certain way, we give help as do other agencies.
“We don’t charge them, we don’t want them to go to court. We help them get through their difficulties.
“Is this soft? I don’t know. This prevents them going to prison and it prevents their children going into care. I think it is a sensible way to help what are fundamentally descent people in difficult times.”
Daily Mirror
