29 shoplifters banned from all but a few stores

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ORDERS

- BY LAYCIE BECK

ALMOST 30 of Lincoln's most prolific shoplifters have been banned from shops in the city. Criminal Behaviour Orders have been issued by Lincolnshire Police to 29 shoplifters, which means there are now enforceable rules on where they can and cannot go.

The civil orders are imposed by the courts and are designed to help the police tackle the most serious and persistent anti-social individuals. These orders will allow retailers and their staff to be better protected from crime in the city, and if someone breaches an order it is a criminal offence.

For the most serious offences this could lead to a custodial sentence of up to five years being enforced. Each of the 29 people who have been given an order have been banned from entering any retail premises in Lincoln, with the exception of a small number of agreed shops where they can buy essentials.