Tim Passmore pledges to help shops in Bury St Edmunds after meeting to discuss town’s rising retail thefts

Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has met with the chief executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID) to find common ground on tackling the town’s retail crime.

Tim Passmore was contacted by Mark Cordell and invited to come to Bury St Edmunds after the latter had concerns of an increase in shop thefts, which owners were not reporting.

Some BID member said long-winded processes such as the 101 service and filling out forms online were not user friendly. Meanwhile, Joy Denny, managing director of Denny Bros Supplies, which has lost nearly £2,000 of items to shoplifters, recently spoke of its ‘devastating’ impact.

“We had a candid discussion about the current situation, particularly in regard of the under-reporting of retail theft, the confidence the business community has of police commitment to this crime and the need to do more from a preventative perspective,” said Mr Cordell.

“We agreed there is a need for the BID, businesses and the constabulary to review what is in place presently and be creative, innovative and consider best practice elsewhere to identify ways to improve the levels of prevention, recording and detection of this crime.”

Mr Passmore said: “I was particularly interested to understand the concerns raised around retail crime.

“It is my strong belief that good policing is a powerful economic driver since high levels of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour is a huge impediment to economic development and growth.

“I hope to meet with businesses early next year to hear first-hand the issues they face.

“One thing is very clear, we need to work together and I am committed to do this as PCC.”