Retail Crime Enforcement Rochdale North - Arrests

Officers from Rochdale North Neighbourhood have been busy over the past couple of weeks taking positive action against prolific retail crime offenders who commit offences of shoplifting in the town centre and surrounding areas. Here  are some of the great results we have had….

On 30th December 2024 PC Marvell was on retail crime patrols when he apprehended a male running out of Dunelm who had just committed a theft. A 40 year old male from Oldham was charged with 2 shoplifting offences and remanded in custody to attend court then next day.

On 2nd January 2025 PC Marvell attended Forest Bank Prison and detained a 38 year old male from Rochdale for a number of offences. The male was charged with three shoplifting offences and remanded to court the following day.

On 3rd January 2025 PC Ali arrested a 30 year old male from the Rochdale area for a number of offences he was wanted for after PCSO’s Sohail and Mahboob spotted him in the Spotland area. The male was charged with two three breaches of criminal behaviour order (CBO), one common assault on a member of shop staff who it was alleged he pushed to the floor and two shoplifting offences, he was also remanded to court the following day.

On Sunday 11th January 2025 PC Marvell dealt with a 27 year old male from Rochdale who was wanted for a number of offences in Rochdale and Oldham. The male was charged with one assault, two breach of criminal behaviour orders and four shoplifting offences, he was also charged and remanded to court.

Retail crime is not victimless, it cause increases in prices to law abiding customers, fuels organised crime as the proceeds are often spend on buying drugs and shop staff often face threats and intimidation which is clearly not acceptable in the workplace.

There is sometimes a misconception that retail crime isn’t taken seriously by the police, this is certainly not the case and in Rochdale  If we can identify offenders, your local neighbourhood officers will take positive action. This is nearly always with arrests and we will look to charge and remand these offenders to court at the earliest opportunity. The majority of these prolific offenders in Rochdale now have criminal behaviour orders which include exclusion zones, this also helps us enforce and try to reduce shop theft offences.  - Sgt Walsh, Rochdale North Neighbourhood.