Police want to act in the run-up to Christmas

Officers in Glasgow are strengthening their relationship with retail businesses through the City Centre Partnership.

They also want to liaise more closely with procurators fiscal who can apply to the courts for a bail condition which would restrict "habitual shoplifters" from entering the city centre.

George Sneddon, the director of the City Centre Partnership, said: "The costs to businesses of retail crime continue to be substantial.

"It is important that the public realise this type of crime affects all of us as increased costs incurred are being passed on to customers."

Prevention strategies

According to the British Retail Consortium, the cost of the crime in the UK leapt last year by 23% to �740m.

Chief Superintendent John Wilson, from Strathclyde Police, said it was vital that agencies worked together, shared responsibilities, developed crime prevention strategies and adopted good practice at shop floor and management levels.

The Hard Target initiative launched on Monday includes;

• Raising the awareness of staff about their powers in relation to arrest, detection and searching

• Advising staff and management about excluding and barring known shoplifters from their premises before further crime is committed

• Improving staff confidence through presentations on personal safety.

Already 200 retail staff in Glasgow have been given presentations on how to help combat shoplifting.

Chief Superintendent Wilson added: "Any retailer not adopting positive crime prevention measures, such as those forming the Hard Target initiative, could be seen as actually easing the way for the criminal.

"I look forward to working with the retail trade in the fight against theft and robbery, thus enhancing the safety and well-being of everyone involved in the wide variety of retail outlets in the centre of Glasgow."