Shoplifters to face ban from town's shops

Shoplifters caught in Welshpool are in for a shock – they face being banned from all the town’s shops.

Welshpool Neighbourhood Policing Team has come up with a new scheme to help combat the town’s shoplifting problems.

The initiative will be called SABB (Steal And Be Banned) and will mirror the BOBB (behave Or Be Banned) scheme currently operated by local licensees.

But the Police need the help of the town’s shopkeepers to ensure the success of the venture and have called two meetings for Tuesday, November 9 at 2pm and 5-30pm at Welshpool Fire Station which shopkeepers can attend and sign up.

“The town does have a shoplifting problems and this is just one element of our fight against the crime,” said Inspector Diane Davies.

“The BOBB scheme has been a tremendous success and has helped reduce violent crime considerably thanks to the support of the licensees. This is an opportunity for the shopkeepers to take some control over their own situations.”

Pc Lindsay Sweetman and PCSO Sarah Bebb of the Neighbourhood Policing Team have invited the shopkeepers to the meeting to explain how they will be provided with photographs of offenders to help them in the identification process if they agree to take part.