POLICE officers “actively hunt” known shoplifters targeting shops across Colchester, the city’s district commander said.
Chief Insp Colin Cox has said officers know who the “prolific” offenders are and work with partnership agencies to target them.
He highlighted the prosecution of Scott Butcher who was jailed and banned from every Co-op in Essex after snatching items from several shops in and around Colchester.
“We ensure that when we have someone on our radar who is starting to form a pattern of committing offences we tackle them early,” said Mr Cox.
“We go out there with the city centre team. We actively hunt for them, not just wait to stumble across them.”
The district commander said often it is in shoplifters’ nature to steal as they are “trying to feed a habit”.
He called on Colchester Council to help Essex Police tackle problems by establishing and targeting the root cause.
Mr Cox added: “An individual who does repeated shoplifting, who is prolific is generally someone who might be begging for money.
“It is in their nature to steal because they don’t have any means coming in from another source and they are trying to feed a habit.”
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