Decrease In Wrexham Town Centre Shoplifting

Shoplifting in the town centre has decreased, new figures presented to town traders have revealed.

Last month it was reported that there had been a slight increase in shoplifting in the town centre. However the context was given both regionally and nationally, where Wrexham’s increase was the smallest in North Wales, and overall nationally the trend is shoplifting is on the rise.

Speaking today at the monthly Town Centre Forum meeting, Town Centre Inspector Paul Wycherley said there had been 17 incidents of shoplifting in the town centre for August, which was down half from the previous month.

Inspector Wycherley added: “I appreciate I only know what I am told, the real picture is it’s still going on.”

One method that has been enforced to reduce the amount of shoplifting in the town centre is the introduction of more plain clothed officers and undercover patrols.

The initiative was first mentioned at August’s Town Centre Forum, with the aim appearing to be to target known shoplifters to deter and remove prior to a crime rather than wait and then apprehend. This was explained as being a more cost effective way of policing as it can be expensive to process shoplifters, so challenging and deterring is preferred.

Along with this, public order offences in the town centre are also lower than they were this time last year.

Speaking about burglaries in the town centre, Inspector Wycherley said that there had been a few burglaries in the town lately, but overall burglary other than dwelling is down by 32% in the town centre.

Incidents of burglary in dwellings are also down by 14% overall.

Comments were also made regarding a recent news story in the Daily Post which stated that Brook Street was the most crime ridden street in North Wales. Last month the Town Centre Forum was told ‘the press will be joining the police on a Saturday night to give a positive news story’. A reporter from The Leader was taken to observe North Wales Police on a Saturday night in town and a report was duly published.

Inspector Wycherely said: “I’m anxious to deflect a story circulating in the press that Brook Street is an unsafe place. The data that was used was three years old. Wrexham is a safe place.”

The threat levels to shopping centres across the UK were also mentioned, with Chairman, Kevin Critchely saying that he had recently received a notice saying the terror level had been increased to ‘severe’.

It was pointed out that this mirrors the national terror threat alert that was raised to severe last week.

Inspector Wycherley explained the national threat and for the people of Wrexham to be vigilant.

However it was added that there is nothing suggesting that Wrexham is in danger from global terrorism.