Sussex secures first court orders in ground-breaking tagging pilot targeting prolific shoplifters

In a pioneering pilot scheme to tackle persistent shoplifting led by Sussex police and crime commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne, the first CBO was granted at Brighton Magistrates’ Court last month. This includes an exclusion zone around the location of the offences (the Co-op in Eastbourne) and requires the convicted shop thief to wear a GPS tag for 12-months.

A second CBO with a 12-month tagging condition was agreed at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on October 1. The offender was sentenced to seven months in custody. The 12-month tagging period, which will include an exclusion zone around the Co-op in Hastings, will start upon his release.

The pilot tagging project – Operation STOP (Shop Theft Offender Pilot) – is currently being trialled in East Sussex. The initiative is being led by the Office of the Sussex PCC in partnership with Sussex Police, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and probation services. It aims to reduce reoffending and aid rehabilitation through real-time monitoring and, over time, the provision of tailored support.

The pilot project marks the first time electronic tags have been deployed specifically to address shoplifting.

Ms Bourne said: “I am delighted that we are the first police area to use established tagging technology to address the most persistent offenders.

“As the national PCC lead for business and retail crime, I know the real impact it has on local businesses and communities. Deterrents need to be more effective and punishments must be meaningful.

“The tagging pilot is a proactive step forward in achieving this. Our early court outcomes in Sussex set a strong precedent for national action to follow.”

Over the past 12 months to September 30, Sussex has seen a ten per cent year-on-year increase in shoplifting across the county. More than half of shoplifting offences are currently closed with no suspect able to be identified due to the nature of this crime, said Ms Bourne.

Where a suspect could be identified, there were 2,085 recorded suspects or offenders. More than 1,200 additional charges, community resolutions and cautions have been issued over the past 12 months compared with the previous year.

Under the Operation STOP pilot, repeat shoplifting offenders will be issued with Buddi tags – discreet GPS ankle devices – as part of a CBO or with agreement from probation services. These tags allow police to monitor offenders’ movements in real time, helping to deter further offences and enabling swift action if breaches or tampering occur.

Local probation services have welcomed the scheme. Debbie Knight, head of Community Integration, Kent, Sussex, Surrey Probation, said: “The tagging pilot ensures the monitoring of people on probation, reducing the risk of further offences while we support the individual to address those areas linked to their offending behaviour, such as substance misuse.

“We know the considerable impact shop theft has on the community and we work closely with courts and police to ensure the right balance between repaying the community and rehabilitation. This measure will help us achieve this while adding additional safeguards to local businesses and the public.”

Adam Godden, specialist adviser on business crime at Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils, said: local businesses were “enthused” to hear that this initiative is being trialled in Eastbourne.

“At present, what is in place isn’t working with the current judicial system, so to have a project like this using innovative technology is exciting,” he said.

“The fact that the first tag in the country has been fitted to an offender in Eastbourne shows that we have strong partnership working with the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) and Sussex Police to enable this to happen.

“As a BCRP we are looking forward to seeing how this will impact on offenders’ behaviour and what other intelligence can be gained from this monitoring and, most importantly what relief it will give to businesses that these offenders have relentlessly been targeted.”

In East Sussex, where the project is currently being trialled, a dedicated Sussex Police constable acts as a Specific Point of Contact (SPoC) with the courts and CPS ensuring smooth implementation of the scheme. While the standard tagging period is set at 12 months, the court may extend it based on individual circumstances.

Ms Bourne stressed the project is being designed as a supportive intervention, not a punitive measure. As the pilot progresses, individuals wearing the tag will have access to tailored services including addiction support, housing advice, and employment assistance.

The pilot’s impact will be assessed through reductions in reoffending, feedback from participants and the impact on local businesses. Funding for the pilot has been allocated from the PCC’s reserves.

Sussex Police already uses Buddi tags in other contexts, including Stalking Protection Orders, for monitoring sex offenders and for safeguarding children at risk of exploitation.