The Stevenage Shop Ban Scheme is gaining momentum as officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Teams encourage more local shops to becoming involved.
The initiative sees local shops joining a special network which gives them the opportunity to share information about suspected offenders and those who commit anti-social behaviour. It also allows them access to a collective banning scheme where when individuals are reported to the scheme because of crime and ASB, and they are then banned from all member premises. This means that those who target one local business with crime or ASB can be banned from many.
PC Lukas Haase said: “We now have five local businesses in Stevenage town centre signed up to the scheme and five people are due to be issued warnings regarding their behaviour and that they will be added to the banned list if crime and ASB continues.
“Going forward we hope that other stores will join the scheme”.
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