Hastings shop owners have welcomed Sussex Police’s use of electronic tagging of prolific shoplifters after a court ordered that a local man be the second person in the country be fitted with a tracking device under the scheme when he is released from prison.
For the first time ever in the UK, persistent shoplifters will now be electronically tagged as a condition of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) following shop theft convictions.
In the pioneering pilot scheme, named Operation STOP (Shop Theft Offender Pilot) has been led by Sussex PCC Katy Bourne. It aims to reduce reoffending and aid rehabilitation through real-time monitoring and, over time, the provision of tailored support.
The tags can be set to trigger alerts that would be sent to the police, probation services or store security staff if an offender comes within a set distance from a location they are banned from entering.
John Bownas of Hastings Business Crime Reduction Partnership said: “With incidents of shop theft on the rise across the country this could be an important step in reversing the trend. Unfortunately, we find that the vast majority of thefts are carried out by a relatively small number of offenders, and traditional methods of punishment and support have typically failed to change this behaviour.
“By having the courts order these tags to be worn it sends out a strong message to those who cause so much harm to retailers that they can’t simply take goods without consequences.
“Hopefully the ability to track movements will help the probation and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services better understand their clients and enable them to offer a greater hope of living more positive lives. The initiative is not meant as a punishment in itself, but rather a way of tailoring the help that is on offer to these prolific offenders.”
The first two CBOs to include a requirement to wear the ‘Buddi’ GPS tags were granted at Brighton Magistrates’ Court with exclusion zones defined around the locations of the stores that the offenders had repeatedly targeted – the Co-Ops in Albert Parade, Eastbourne, and Parkstone Parade in Hastings.
Commenting on the project PCC Katy Bourne said: “I promised that we would take shop theft seriously in Sussex so I am delighted that we are the first police area to use established tagging technology to address the most persistent offenders. As the national PCC lead for business and retail crime, I know the real impact it has on local businesses and communities. Deterrents need to be more effective and punishments must be meaningful. The tagging pilot is a proactive step forward in achieving this. Our early court outcomes in Sussex set a strong precedent for national action to follow.”
Over the past 12 months (1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025), Sussex has seen a 10% year-on-year increase in shoplifting across the county, committed by 2,085 recorded suspects or offenders. More than 1,200 additional charges, community resolutions and cautions have been issued over the past 12 months compared to the previous year.
Local probation services have welcomed the scheme. Debbie Knight, Head of Community Integration, Kent, Sussex, Surrey Probation said: “The tagging pilot ensures the monitoring of people on probation, reducing the risk of further offences while we support the individual to address those areas linked to their offending behaviour, such as substance misuse. We know the considerable impact shop theft has on the community and we work closely with courts and police to ensure the right balance between repaying the community and rehabilitation. This measure will help us achieve this while adding additional safeguards to local businesses and the public.”
The pilot’s impact will be assessed through reductions in reoffending, feedback from participants and the impact on local businesses. Funding for the pilot has been allocated from the PCC’s reserves, underlining her commitment to tackling retail crime.
