Nine per cent decrease in reports of shoplifting

Police say their 'strategy is working'

- Sentinel Reporter

POLICE chiefs say that 13,000 hours of town centre and public space patrols have helped reduce shoplifting offences across the county.

Staffordshire Police have also invested in 53 additional neighbourhood officers since May of last year.

Now it has emerged that neighbourhood crime has fallen by 13 per cent this year.

And in the last 12 months, shoplifting offences reported by retailers is down by nine per cent, while police say 'positive outcomes' have increased by more than two per cent.

A spokesperson for the force said: "This means that more offenders are being taken to court and less offences are happening across businesses in local communities.