Police and Hastings District Council City Assist continue our strong partnership in an effort to reduce shoplifting in our area.
In the last three months Police have arrested 75 shoplifters, and laid 107 charges in relation to offending within the Hawke's Bay area.
Senior Sergeant Ross Smith says: "Hastings District Council City Assist play an important part in one of our long standing operations focused on disrupting shoplifting in our local business community, Operation Makipai.
"They provide Police with real time and key information about these offenders which often results in their swift arrest," says Senior Sergeant Smith.
The partnership we have with the Hastings District Council City Assist team is invaluable, from our weekly Intelligence meetings where we swap information gathered and speak about recent trends in retail crime to our partnership on the streets, monitoring and responding to community concerns including antisocial behaviour.
"We are all too aware of the real impact that retail crime including shoplifting has on our local shops and businesses, especially smaller locally-owned stores," says Senior Sergeant Smith.
City Assist are in the community everyday ready to assist everyday people with everyday things, but they also assist in curbing shoplifting by noting down detailed information about suspicious or unlawful behaviour which can be shared with Police.
Hastings Police maintain a zero tolerance approach towards recidivist shoplifting in our community, and will work hard to hold these offenders to account
Our partnership with City Assist, and other organisations in our area, is helping Police do this.
Hastings District Council security manager Clint Adamson says: "City Assist are in daily communication with police, reporting what they are seeing while out and about and acting as liaison between police and retailers as needed. This is supported by Council's extensive CCTV network through the main retail areas and elsewhere.
"The teams work seven days a week with CCTV operators working overnight as they continue to monitor the cameras. We have a great working relationship with Police as Council looks to support the retailers and make Hastings a safe and enjoyable place to visit and do business in.
