NEWTOWNARDS has emerged as one of Northern Ireland’s worst hotspots for shoplifting, with theft now accounting for more than one in five recorded crimes in the town, prompting calls for tougher action against repeat offenders and organised criminal gangs.
The stark figures were highlighted by Strangford MP Jim Shannon, who said the borough had bucked the wider Northern Ireland trend of falling crime and warned that retail crime was devastating local businesses.
Speaking after a Westminster Hall debate on high street crime, Mr Shannon said while PSNI figures show overall crime has fallen by around 2.3% across Northern Ireland, Ards and North Down is one of the few policing districts to record an increase.
He pointed to figures showing Newtownards has an overall crime rate of 44 offences per 1,000 people — around 24% higher than the Northern Ireland average — with theft and shoplifting accounting for more than 20% of all recorded crime in the town.
Mr Shannon said the rise in retail crime, combined with antisocial behaviour and criminal damage, was damaging confidence in the town centre and putting increasing pressure on local businesses. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “We can no longer allow sweeping generalities about historic low crime rates to hide the crisis facing our high streets.
“The hard truth is that our local shopkeepers and retail workers are on the front lines of an epidemic of retail crime, theft and intimidation. Right now, ordinary, law-abiding citizens feel the system has abandoned them while criminals walk free.
“We are seeing traditional, well-established businesses forced out, only to be replaced by shops of questionable authenticity. While many are legitimate, intelligence from organisations like the Chartered Trading Standards Institute shows that up to half of these specific setups in certain areas are directly linked to organised crime networks and money laundering.
“This is a coordinated assault on our high streets, and the only way to stop it is to hit back with the full force of the law. We must be far more aggressive with the legal outcomes for repeat offenders, a slap on the wrist is not a deterrent. If you systematically target our local businesses, you must face severe, inescapable consequences.”
Mr Shannon is calling on the Home Office and regional authorities to work together
on a multi-agency crackdown aimed at tackling retail crime, protecting shop workers, closing down illicit businesses and ensuring prolific offenders face tougher penalties.
The PSNI said police in Newtownards remain committed to tackling offences against businesses through a combination of prevention, enforcement and partnership working.
Sergeant Fenton, of the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, said they are committed to working with retailers, trade bodies and local communities to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour which can affect local businesses.
“We continue to carry out high visibility patrols in retail areas to deter offenders and provide reassurance to staff and would call on businesses to report all incidents to police at the earliest opportunity to ensure a timely response by officers,” he said.
“Retail theft requires a unified response. We will continue to play our part in the face of current policing pressures to deliver for the retail and wider business community.”
