Essex Police say they've made 1,358 arrests for shop theft offences in Essex in the past year, with 2,443 charges secured.

In the past 12 months, officers have solved 593 more offences than in the previous year.

Sergeant Christian Denning says: "Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It affects a store's bottom line and may cause them to increase prices for customers, while offenders can also be violent and abusive to staff and customers.

"Through our Open For Business, Closed For Crime campaign we encourage retailers to report shop theft, assaults on staff and anti-social behaviour to us and provide us with CCTV footage and witness statements.

"This evidence is vital to help us to build strong cases. Where it is provided, offenders often have no choice but to admit their crimes in court.

"And the information provided also helps us to identify emerging crime trends and to adapt and target our crime prevention tactics. 

"No-one should be afraid to go to work and we want to make our high streets, corner shops and retail parks safer places for everyone to work in and visit."

The Essex Police Business Crime Team works with retailers and business partners to target shoplifters and bring them to justice.

One retailer the team works with closely is the East of England Co-op, with Head of Profit Improvement and Internal Security Lee Hammons complimenting Essex Police's prosecution rate. 

"Where we have the evidence, we will seek to prosecute, whatever the value of the theft." Sergeant Christian adds.

"Small thefts do add up into sums which businesses cannot afford to lose.

"But we also want to divert people from offending and that's where banning orders and treatment requirements come into play. It's giving people a chance to change their behaviour and alter the course of their lives."

Anyone arrested for an acquisitive crime in Essex, such as shop theft, is tested for cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin on arrival in custody.

If they test positive, they are required to attend an assessment with one of three drug treatment services we work with in Essex.