Police operation to ‘ramp up pressure’ on shoplifters over Christmas

Officers have brought their annual push to tackle shoplifting over the festive period back.Teamwork is the “secret weapon” according to West Norfolk Police, as the force implements Operation Wonderland in Lynn this week.The initiative will see an increase in dedicated police patrols in the town centre and Hardwick Retail Park in a bid to deter criminals and have officers close at hand if incidents do happen.

Neighbourhood policing inspector Ben Jarvis said: “Tackling shoplifting is a year-round priority for us but we ramp up the pressure on thieves in the run-up to Christmas.“This is the time of year when we see a spike in people attempting to steal from shops and we will not let them get away with it.“We know that shoplifting can have a massive impact on the shops and businesses in the town which then have to consider passing those losses on to everyone else.” Officers on the patrols will be keeping in contact with borough council CCTV operators, street rangers and shop workers who can call for help when needed.Vicky Etheridge, BID manager at Discover King’s Lynn, which funds the rangers, said: “This operation has run successfully for many years and makes a really big difference to the shops in the town. “Christmas is an incredibly important time of year for many of the businesses here and it’s great to see something that helps to keep King’s Lynn a safe and enjoyable place to visit.”Operation Wonderland is set to run until the end of December.Inspector Jarvis added: “We know that local people want to see a visible police presence in their communities and operations like this are important to support that.“Seeing uniformed police officers walking through town not only deters criminals but reassures shoppers and residents that we are a key part of the community and are there to help if needed.”