Essex Police continue to arrest shoplifters in Chelmsford

Another nine people have been arrested for shoplifting in Chelmsford as Essex Police continue in their efforts to protect retailers.

A further six were detained in Braintree, five in Southend and four in Harlow.

Five of those arrested tested positive for Class A drugs. A positive test leads to an automatic referral to a specialist drug treatment programme.

Sergeant Christian Denning of the Business Crime Team said:

"Shoplifting is a not a low-level crime because the proceeds can feed into a bigger network of criminality.

"We are protecting retailers by targeting the individuals responsible for repeated thefts and limiting their ability to reoffend.

"People with drug issues may turn to stealing to fund their addiction so by getting them onto a treatment programme, we are helping to change their behaviour and tackling the cause of their offending.

"But when we believe a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) is justified, we work with our local colleagues to apply for them at court.

"By collaborating with local businesses and our partners in the community, we are combatting crime and anti-social behaviour and making our high streets safe and pleasant places to visit."

You can read more on the Essex Police website.