Digital innovation delivering results in tackling shoplifting

"I am delighted to share this news update from Dorset Police.

"The difference this new digital system has already made to businesses across Dorset is significant and I wholeheartly support such innovation.

"I have often said that shoplifting is not a victimless crime – it hits hardworking shop staff, threatens livelihoods, and undermines safety and confidence in retails spaces across the county and I am delighted to see this insidious crime being targetted by Dorset Police."

David Sidwick

 

Digital innovation delivering results in tackling shoplifting

A new digital system is helping Dorset Police to tackle shoplifting, with retailers now able to submit evidence faster and officers in a position to resolver cases quicker.

The new system has resulted in improved results and officers are stressing the importance of reporting retail thefts to police.

In the last three months of 2025, the Force’s Retail Crime Team achieved a positive outcome rate of over 70 per cent for shoplifting offences, significantly above the national average at a time when retail theft is increasing across the country.

Contrary to the common misconception that police do not pursue shoplifting under £200, Dorset Police investigates all reports – and the majority of cases dealt with through the Force's Operation Shopkeeper that are sent to court involve low-value thefts.

These build powerful evidential profiles against repeat offenders, leading to prosecutions involving multiple counts and substantial sentences. Retailers are urged to report every incident.

Matt, a security guard at Tesco Express in Poole, said: “The digital theft packs are a massive advancement, they’re incredibly quick and easy to complete. Now when we submit a report the offender can be identified and held to account within days.

“This is a huge morale boost for staff and customers – we’re all really impressed and thankful for the cooperation and efficiency of Dorset Police.”

A store representative from One Stop in Dorchester added: “We’re really impressed with the NiCE Investigate system – it’s been incredibly effective for us here at One Stop Dorchester.

“We’ve been able to combat more offenders a lot quicker, with numerous of them being convicted.

“Completing the digital theft pack is quick and easy, and we’ve seen faster police action as a result.”

Among the recent successful prosecutions by the Retail Crime Team was prolific shoplifter Jason Christopher Evans, who was jailed for 32 weeks in December 2025 after repeatedly targeting Boots stores in Christchurch and Poole over a five-month period, stealing more than £7,000 worth of goods across 14 separate offences.

Report every incident – every time – providing CCTV and a template statement

Every report matters. Dorset Police needs retailers to report all shoplifting incidents, even low‑value thefts. Under‑reporting hides the true scale of the problem and lets prolific offenders continue unchecked.

When retailers report:

• Officers can link offences across stores and identify repeat offenders.
• CCTV evidence builds stronger cases for prosecution.
• Trends emerge, allowing targeted patrols and prevention in hotspots.

Sergeant Ryan Corbett, of Dorset Police’s Retail Crime Team, said: “This intelligence‑led approach has proven highly effective at disrupting the most harmful offenders.

“Every report we receive helps us build the bigger picture. The NiCE evidence platform and digital theft packs drastically cut processing times, getting vital information from retailers to officers in hours rather than days.”

How to report shoplifting online

Visit www.dorset.police.uk/report

1. Select “Report a crime”

2. Complete the online form with incident details.

3. Upload CCTV/images via the NiCE Investigate link (sent automatically).

For non‑emergency incidents where the offender has left the premises and there is no immediate threat, the online portal is the fastest way to report. This frees up 999 and 101 for genuine emergencies whilst ensuring your report still reaches the dedicated Retail Crime Team.

Reporting takes minutes but delivers justice. Every report strengthens the case against prolific offenders.

How the digital system works

Retailers can now upload CCTV footage, witness statements and crime scene images directly through NiCE Investigate, a secure digital platform that eliminates delays caused by post, email or manual handover. Evidence reaches the investigation team within hours.

In the case of Jason Evans, officers identified him within days of retailers submitting their evidence through the new system - dramatically faster than traditional methods.

Once submitted, all evidence is integrated into a single case file on the police case management system, allowing officers to view the full picture - store location, offender description, CCTV stills, and linked incidents across multiple retailers - in real time.

Spotting the travelling thieves

The work to tackle shoplifting has also been enhanced by the creation of the dedicated Retail Crime Team, which handles all shoplifting reports across Dorset.

By consolidating reports in one place, officers can now identify offenders who travel across the county to avoid being recognised and caught.

In a recent case the same offender was identified targeting stores in Poole, Stalbridge, Blandford, Swanage and Shaftesbury, with nearly £2,000 worth of goods stolen. By linking multiple reports and digital theft packs, investigators were able to present a complete picture of his offending to the court, resulting in swift guilty pleas.

Sergeant Corbett said: “Thanks to due diligence from the retailers who provided us with the necessary evidence, we were able to identify the offenders and bring them before the courts.”

Partnership driving success

Dorset Police has worked closely with the Dorset Safer Business Partnership and major retailers to design these systems around their needs.

Chief Inspector Alyssa Forrest, Dorset Police’s retail crime lead, said:  “The Retail Crime Team is a dedicated team that operates across the whole of Dorset, officers are subject matter experts and are skilled at identifying offenders.

“Dorset Police takes retail theft seriously and delivers a robust approach to this corrosive crime.”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “These figures show how improvements made with the support of the Dorset Safer Business Partnership, such as the implementation of the force’s new evidence platform, NiCE, are having a real impact on how retail crime is tackled in Dorset. Shoplifting is not a victimless crime – it hits hardworking shop staff, threatens livelihoods, and undermines safety and confidence in our town centres.”

The work of the dedicated Retail Crime Team is also supported by local neighbourhood teams, which are currently being strengthened with additional officers under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

These additional neighbourhood officers will further enhance the dedicated hotspot patrols taking place key areas of Bournemouth and other towns, providing an increased presence to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour as well as focussing on other key priority areas such as knife crime.

All retailers in Dorset are encouraged to register for NiCE Investigate and make full use of the online reporting portal. Support and training are available through the Retail Crime Team.

To register for NiCE Investigate or report shoplifting online:  

Visit www.dorset.police.uk/report or www.dorset.police.uk/police-forces/dorset-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/nice-investigate/

For non‑emergency reports:  

Use the online portal at www.dorset.police.uk/report

In an emergency or if there is a crime in progress, always dial 999.

If you wish to report anonymously, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted online using its website or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.