Peterborough's new top cop vows to do more to tackle shoplifting in city centre
Peterborough’s new top cop says there is still work to be done to tackle shoplifting in the city.
Superintendent Olly Warsop, who has just been appointed as the new area commander for Peterborough and Fenland says it is vital that people know action will be taken and they can be confident to report crime.
He said: “We know that we have problems and have not been quite as responsive in the last three or four years.
“But recently we have implemented a new team, the Spree Offending Team and a lot of work with Peterborough’s Business Improvement District.
He said: “We have done a lot of work around tackling shoplifting.
“We have encouraged quite a lot of reporting.
“I need people to be confident that the police will do something about it.
He said: “We won’t catch every person and we won’t get every person convicted.
“But we have done quite a lot around retail crime but there is probably still more to do.”
His comments come after figures released recently show a 14 per cent rise in shoplifting over the year to last month.
The data shows more than 6,800 incidents reported in the year.
And figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of shoplifting offences in 2025 rose to 2,333 – up from 2,126 a year earlier.
Supt Warsop’s comments come as the fight to combat crime suffered by Peterborough city centre retailers has been stepped up.
Peterborough Positive, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), has just upgraded its crime reporting and intelligence system, Disc with a number of enhancements.
The electronic system connects retailers and the police and provides details of regular and known offenders.
It links into police systems and makes it quicker, easier and more effective for businesses to report crime.
Pep Cipriano, Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, said: “Our businesses have been clear that crime and safety are their top priority.