Croydon to pilot GPS tags for repeat shoplifters after 4,796 thefts in a year

Croydon Council will explore GPS ankle tags for repeat shoplifters after 4,796 thefts were reported in the town centre in the past year. The pilot, announced by Mayor Jason Perry, would allow courts to order offenders to wear tags, triggering alerts if they enter exclusion zones near shops.

The council is in discussions with the Metropolitan Police and technology provider BUDDI. A start date has not been set, as the scheme depends on securing funding. The model was previously trialled in East Sussex.

Retailers say current measures fail to deter offenders

Benedict Selvaratnam, managing director of Freshfields Market on Church Street, said shopkeepers often do not report thefts because they believe police will not act. His staff have faced violence, including an incident where they were bottled while trying to retrieve stolen wine.

Selvaratnam, who represents the Croydon Business Association, said 450 local businesses regularly raise shoplifting in WhatsApp groups. He described the current system as ineffective, with banned offenders returning to the same shops. "By the time the police come, they are long gone," he said.

Freshfields employed security last summer, and staff sometimes intervene in thefts, though Selvaratnam said responses vary. "It’s 50/50," he said. "Some shoplifters become aggressive and attack staff." Public reactions are also mixed, with some bystanders siding with offenders.

Mayor says shoplifting drives up prices and threatens livelihoods

Mayor Jason Perry said shoplifting is not a victimless crime. "It threatens people’s livelihoods, drives up prices for honest customers and leaves shop workers facing intimidation and abuse," he said, as reported by the *London Evening Standard*.

Perry said the council would use "every legal tool available" to protect businesses. "Zero-tolerance means backing our businesses," he said. "If you come to Croydon to steal, you should expect consequences."

What happens next

The council will continue discussions with the Met Police and BUDDI to finalise the pilot’s design. Funding must be secured before the scheme can begin. No timeline has been provided for when the pilot might launch.

In the meantime, the council’s Town Centre Taskforce is deploying Parkguard Patrol officers in hotspot areas to tackle antisocial behaviour. A borough-wide ban was recently secured against David Tench, who the council said had caused misery for businesses and residents in West Croydon.