Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime - Steering Group & launch of Retail Crime Taskforce
SGF has joined the Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime (SPAACE) - Steering Group, which aims to prevent acquisitive crime (e.g., theft and shoplifting) and its impact on Scottish communities. Chaired by Police Scotland’s ACC Tim Mairs, the group will also drive the SPAACE Strategy 2023-2028.
In December 2024, the Scottish Government allocated an extra £3 million to Police Scotland to tackle retail crime in 2025/26. Planning for its use from April 2025 aligns with the launch of the steering group and SPAACE’s tactical delivery.
Proposal for funding
It is proposed that this funding will support the creation of a Retail Crime Taskforce which will ‘Provide a visible and measurable impact on retail crime’ and will seek to deliver to deliver on the following objectives (4 P’s):
Prevent – Stop people from becoming perpetrators of acquisitive crime;
Pursue – Stop retail crime by brining perpetrators to justice, with a focus on repeat offenders and organised criminals
Protect – Strengthen the collective protection against Retail Crime
Prepare – Mitigate against the impact of Retail Crime
Police Scotland officially announced the establishment of the Retail Crime TaskForce on Friday 28th March – click here more information. The team is made up of 14 uniformed officers and detectives, as well as four civilian staff, including specialist analysts and an Architectural Liaison Officer. The uniformed officers will operate within Edinburgh, Glasgow and Lanarkshire, as crime figures show these areas experience the highest levels of retail crime.
SPAACE Steering Group will coordinate collaborative efforts to deliver on the 4 P’s plans at both a national and a local level and hold the Retail Crime Taskforce to account for delivery.
Other retail groups (including SGF) have already highlighted goals which should be considered going forward such as:
targeting prolific offenders and organised crime groups involved in retail crime;
improving and modernising the reporting mechanisms for retailers to Police and communications to retailers;
increase in visible community officers within city/town retail spaces;
increase in meaningful communications from police to retailers on retail crime.