Market Town Businesses Form WhatsApp Group to Combat Shoplifting

High street retailers in a market town have established a WhatsApp group to facilitate the exchange of information on shoplifters, aiming to counter this criminal activity. Approximately 95 businesses in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, have joined this communication channel, named Shopwatch, enabling them to monitor individuals known for shoplifting within the locality. Business owners have indicated that this initiative has assisted them in addressing theft and bolstered their assurance leading up to the Christmas season. West Mercia Police announced the formation of a new town centre team, emphasizing that retail crime constitutes a priority for its officers. Sue Williams, proprietor of Gallery 54 on High Street, initiated the chat. She explained that should a member of the group identify a known shoplifter, they can alert other members via message. She informed BBC Hereford and Worcester, “I think what it’s doing is making traders more aware – they are looking for who comes in.” Williams further added, “It’s so easy to set up: one administrator, phone numbers and that’s all you need to do. It’s really easy and it costs nothing.” Terry Brown, a shopper, characterized the initiative as a “great idea”. He stated, “They [the owners] have seen shoplifting in action and they just feel helpless because they’re gone and they’re not going to chase after them because they’d be leaving their shop exposed.” Marion Treanor, also a shopper, commented, “It enables the shop keepers to be a little bit more confident that others are doing the same thing so it [shoplifting] might get spotted sooner.” Sgt Alice Bennet of West Mercia Police confirmed that two additional officers have been assigned to the town centre as part of the newly formed town centre team. She noted that officers were “fully engaged with businesses” and would persist in collaborating with them to deter crime. Bennet further remarked, “Ross-on-Wye is a close knit, rural market town with a community that communicates well with each other.” For further updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.