Crime-Reducing Tool Launched In Burgess Hill And East Grinstead - As Shoplifting Violence Rises

A new information-sharing tool for local businesses has been launched in Burgess Hill & East Grinstead to help police, retailers and security staff tackle crime more effectively together.

A new information-sharing tool for local businesses has been launched in Burgess Hill & East Grinstead to help police, retailers and security staff tackle crime more effectively together.

The smartphone app, called ‘DISC’, is already used in parts of East Sussex as well as over 550 town and city centres across the UK and was also launched in Haywards Heath in March. Following its success, it has now been rolled out to retailers in Burgess Hill and East Grinstead with more areas in Sussex being offered DISC in the coming months.

The app, funded by Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne is being offered to businesses free of charge. It is a secure, online information-sharing system that allows retailers who are signed up, to share news, information and intelligence, including images and the times offenders were last seen.

The app also allows users to alert one another as well as swiftly report crimes as they happen to the police.

So far, over 100 businesses have signed up to the DISC app in Burgess Hill in their bid to tackle retail crime and anti-social behaviour within the town. Over 75 businesses in East Grinstead are also now members of DISC.

Earlier in the week, PCC Katy Bourne visited Burgess Hill and East Grinstead (alongside police officers, PCSOs, Sussex Police Business Crime Lead Chris Neilson, business owners and local councillors) to hear how retailers such as Superdrug, Wilko’s and McDonald’s are finding the app and how it benefits their businesses.

Kirsty Pollard, manager of Market Place shopping centre in Burgess Hill told PCC Bourne that DISC is extremely valuable in enabling the community to work together.

She said: 

“The collaboration tool means being able to defuse problems before they come into store as opposed to picking them up once they’re here and finding out they’ve been happening down the road and round the corner. Burgess Hill will 100% benefit from DISC.”

Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: 

“I’m delighted to see DISC further expanded into Burgess Hill and East Grinstead following a successful launch in Haywards Heath last month. It’s good to see that so many businesses are signing up to the app and coming on board to help tackle retail crime and anti-social behaviour in our high streets.

“The DISC app does not replace the valued police presence within our towns or on our high streets but, the quick communication features and information-sharing ability it provides, will be invaluable to both businesses and Sussex Police.

“Whether it’s theft, abuse against shop workers or anti-social behaviour inside or outside the stores, this is never acceptable and will not be tolerated.”

Cllr Whittaker Chair of the East Grinstead Town Council Public Services Committee said:

“This initiative is welcomed by the Town Council and businesses as a tool to help with the fight against retail crime. Retail crime, especially for small businesses does have victims and we hope this app will encourage reporting, resourcing, and stamping it out in our area”.

A Mid Sussex District Council spokesperson said: 

“This is an excellent tool for local businesses to report incidents of anti-social behaviour and crime in real time and share relevant information securely with Sussex Police and neighbouring businesses.”

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The new tool comes as retail trade union Usdaw reports a rise in shoplifting in the South East in the 12 months to December 2022. 

Across the whole of England and Wales there has been a persistent upward trend since the pandemic, which continued with a 23% increase last year.

The Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 20% increase in shoplifting incidents by the end of 2022 across the South East and by constabulary area as follows:

• Kent                           +23%
• Surrey                        +22%
• Sussex                       +34%
• Thames Valley           +18%
• Hampshire                 +6%

Usdaw’s latest annual survey of over 7,500 shopworkers found that 31% of incidents of violence, threats and abuse related to shoplifting in 2022, which is not only higher than 2019 but also more than double that of 2016.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: 

“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers. Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers.

“The increases in shoplifting across the South East shows the effect of Covid restrictions being lifted in stores last year. Social distancing and limiting the number of customers in stores does make life more difficult for shoplifters. The cost of living crisis is also a factor and theft from shops in itself contributes to rising prices as retailers try to recover losses.

“Our annual survey found that three-quarters of retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. Theft from shops was the trigger for nearly a third of these incidents last year. Particularly concerning is that just over half of those who did the survey said they were not confident that reporting these issues will make any difference.

“Faced with such appallingly high levels of violence and abuse, and with many shopworkers’ lacking confidence in the ability of the system to give them the protection they need, much more needs to be done. The Government must provide the coordination needed to ensure that retail employers, police and the courts work together to make stores safe places for our members to work and for customers to shop.”

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PHOTOS:

Main photo of Burgess Hill DISC launch includes: 

Jackie Fieldus (Security, Market Place Shopping),  Jo (Sussex Kobudo), Sussex PCC Katy Bourne, Sussex Police PCSO Chelsea Greenfield,  Liz Clark (Burgess Hill Town Council), Lance Nuttall (Burgess Hill & District Pubwatch member, The Woolpack Pub and member of Burgess Hill Business Parks Association). Representatives from Waitrose, Wilkos, Costa, WHSmiths and Vodafone. Mandy Cunningham (Mid Sussex District Council), Sgt Anthony Bentham, Sussex Police PCSO Shannon Ward, Sussex Police PC Marvin Lucas, Jamie Baker (Quench Bar & Kitchen, Burgess Hill & District Pubwatch member and Chair of Burgess Hill Business Association). Kirsty Pollard (Centre Manager, Market Place Shopping), Trevor Leggo and Tom Fullard (Chair of Burgess Hill & District Pubwatch and The Top House Pub).

Second photo of East Grinstead DISC launch includes:

Sussex Police Sgt Anthony Bentham, Sussex Police PC Marvin Lucas, Cllr Rex Whittaker (Chair of EGTC Public Services), Graham Russell (Chair of East Grinstead Business Association), Cllr John Dabell, Sussex Police Business Crime Lead Chris Neilson, Cllr Steve Ody, Mandy Cunningham (MSDC), Sussex PCC Katy Bourne, Town Mayor Cllr Adam Peacock and Cllr Julie Mockford