Decrease In Town Centre Shoplifting

Latest crime figures released today suggest that shoplifting in the town centre has is down in comparison to this period last year.

Speaking this morning at this month’s Town Centre Forum meeting, Inspector Paul Wycherley told forum members that shoplifting in the town centre was down 5% from the same time last year.

Inspector Wycherley said: “We are stopping shoplifters before they commit an offence rather. There will be an increase of plain clothes officers by a third in the run up to Christmas in addition to the high visibility PCSOs.

“We have distributed photographs of prolific shoplifters in Wrexham to shop owners. I have no hesitation whatsoever in targeting prolific offenders.”

It was also reported that one Wrexham PCSO recently prevented 11 incidents of theft in one day.

Inspector Wycherley also commented on the ongoing ‘Nightsafe’ partnership with Wrexham Council stating that there had been an increase of foot patrol in the town centre early evening. However there has also been a ‘hike’ in anti social behavior at nightclub closing times

Concerns were also raised on the issues and level of people that visit McDonalds during the evenings.

Back in July it was reported that Wrexham Town Centre Officers were ‘determined’ to crack down on drink fueled and anti-social behavior at McDonalds.

Between May 1 2013 and July 28 2014, for example, police were called more than 100 times to incidents in or outside McDonald’s in Regent Street, Wrexham. More than 40 of these calls were made between midnight and 6am.

Speaking this morning at the Town Centre Forum, Inspector Wycherley said town centre officers had met with McDonald’s three times and were due for a fourth meeting soon. Inspector Wycherley added: “The opening hours are company policy for McDonald’s, but there are security measures in place.

“It is not unusual to have 60 – 70 people in there in one evening. It is hard to pull an officer from Brook Street to go there.”

Alex Jones from The Bank Wine Bar and Bistro on the High Street said: “You can’t blame McDonald’s. There are people coming from different areas and congregating there, when you don’t have 20 officers available anymore.”

Inspector Wycherley also commented on how it wasn’t just users of the town visiting McDonald’s late at night, but how people were popping out for food after house parties.

He added: “There are challenges and there is a finite number of officers. We have a responsibilty to the wider public of Wrexham as well, we have as many as we can in the town centre.”