Political opinion: Shop looting is out of control, says Labour police candidate

Organised criminal gangs are looting Sussex shops, especially supermarkets, and the police seem powerless to stop it. Looters are stealing high-value goods such as booze and meat, and much of it is ending up in local pubs and restaurants. Shopworkers face thefts every day, and many have been assaulted.

Labour & Co-operative candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner Paul Richards is calling for more police, faster response times, more two-radios and CCTV, action on addiction, and a new criminal offence of assaulting a shop worker. He has been working with shopworkers' union USDAW and the Co-op Group to tackle the looting epidemic across Sussex.

Paul Richards says: “No shopworker should face assault at work. We need a new law to punish those who assault our shopworkers. We need more police on foot patrol on the high streets. We need to get a grip on looting. I have spoken to retailers from Bognor to Bexhill, and they tell me it is time for a change.”

The election for Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner takes place on Thursday 2 May 2024.