OFFICERS have been continuing to tackle crime at a retail park that has become a shoplifting hotspot.

With last week marking ASB (anti-social behaviour) Awareness Week, Greater Manchester Police took part in engagement and enforcement against anti-social behaviour across the entire region.

As part of this, the Leigh Neighbourhood Team has continued to deliver results at Parsonage Retail Park by working closely with stores and the crime prevention team.

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Last year, Parsonage Retail Park area was identified as having encountered issues relating to theft, violence, and abuse towards shop workers.

Since then, neighbourhood officers and GMP’s crime prevention team have worked closely with stores and employed a number of tactics to drive down shoplifting and anti-social behaviour at the retail park.

They have also built up intelligence profiles of known offenders, and liaised with security to better aid stores.

As part of ASB Awareness Week, officers continued their work around the retail park, to tackle all manner of crimes that cause issues for workers and visitors, such as drug use, graffiti, and groups harassing people.

Through high-visibility patrols, work with partners including charities and councils, and regular meetings with stores in the area, officers continue to crack down.

The work over the last year has included partnership meetings with key stakeholders, the progression of criminal behaviour orders for known offenders, and support for those in need before direct action is taken.

Officers have also worked in plain clothes in conjunction with store security to monitor and apprehend shoplifters and anti-social behaviour offenders in the act.

Inspector Sam Davies, from GMP’s Leigh district, said: "Our local Leigh neighbourhood team and crime prevention team has delivered some excellent results in the Parsonage Retail Park area, engaging with stores and their management to create effective, long-term solutions to shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

"We recognise the issues that business crime, including shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, can cause to workers; they are not minor crimes.

"They are real, serious problems and offences that can make people’s lives a misery.

"That’s why it is so important to use all the tools we have – including Civil Powers, Criminal Behaviour Orders, collaborative working with partner agencies, and targeted weeks of action – to tackle them and raise awareness."