Shop theft – Frome Town Centre

Frome Neighbourhood Team have been patrolling Frome town, liaising with retailers and showing a visible presence in and around our most affected areas. We work closely with Westway Security, continue to listen to the concerns of our community and respond with targeted patrols. We will look to deal with prolific shop lifters robustly.

By reporting incidents to us, we can work together to prevent further incidents of shop theft. https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/. 

Actions

• 16 May 2025
  

  Frome Town Team is working to support local businesses and improve reporting on shoplifting. Strengthening collaboration between retailers and law enforcement can make a big difference in tackling theft. Reports can be made to https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/

  Your upcoming catch-up with retailers will be a valuable opportunity to assess how things have been progressing over the past six months. Getting feedback directly from shop owners can help refine reporting methods and make the process even more effective.

• 17 April 2025
  

  The Frome Town Team is proactively collaborating with local businesses, urging them to report any instances of shoplifting. Our goal is to identify the individuals responsible and take the necessary actions to address these incidents.

• 26 March 2025
  

  The Neighbourhood team are doing reassurance and targeted patrols in Frome town centre.

  Reporting incidents to us, we can work together to prevent further incidents of shop theft. https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/

• 12 March 2025
  

  Frome Neighbourhood Policing Team continue hi visibility patrols in and around the town centre. Alongside this we have recently arrested two prolific shoplifters, leading to custodial sentences for both.

• 12 February 2025
  

  PCSOs Shelley Day, Rob Nell and Gary Maule, have been conducting high visibility patrols on Stony Street, Catherine Hill, Cheap Street, Kingsway Precinct and the Market Place, engaging with retailers and offering crime reduction advice to our shopkeepers.

• 21 January 2025
  

  Members of Frome Neighbourhood Policing team including Inspector Clark, Sergeant Jefferies and PCSOs Shelley and Gary, met with members of the Town Council and retailers in the town on Wednesday 15 January, to discuss the issues with shoplifting locally. Inspector Clark was able to update the group that all of our main offenders before Christmas had in fact been arrested and were not currently in Frome. It was acknowledged that communication between the Neighbourhood Team and independent retailers could be better and as a result we have committed to quarterly meetings with retailers and the Town Council. Retailers also commented that they were unsure of the best way to report shoplifting offences and the processes involved. Frome PCSOs have now visited the majority of shops on Catherine Hill, Catherine Street, Cheap Street and King Street with information on how to report offences and what will be requested from officers. The rest of the Town retailers will be visited at the earliest opportunity. Retailers were also reminded that we have The Frome Business Against Crime group that they can join which will link them up with retailers across Frome, and enable them to share best practice and engage in data sharing.

• 11 January 2025
  

  Visibility patrols have been covered in the town centre and the outer stores continue in the new year.

  Frome neighbourhood team continue to robustly deal with local shop theft via the criminal justice system and also our Anti-Social Behaviour powers.

  As a result, three of our prolific shop lifters have received Community Behaviour orders as a result of the Neighbourhood team working with the ASB team and the Courts to grant the CBO.

• 3 December 2024
  

  Visibility patrols have been covered in the town centre and the outer stores in the run up to Christmas.

  We will continue to be a present in our retail premises and encourage them to report via the right channels.

• 5 November 2024
  

  High-visibility patrols will be conducted by Frome Town Neighbourhood Policing Team.