This week saw the second reading of the Crime and Policing Bill, an important piece of legislation that introduces a number of new offences and strengthens existing ones.

I’m pleased to see that much of this bill draws on the previous government’s Criminal Justice Bill, which unfortunately stalled due to last year’s general election.

There is much to support in the bill. It includes tougher measures to ban the sale of so-called ‘zombie knives’ and ‘ninja swords’ to under-18s, increasing the maximum custodial penalty for those who manufacture or sell these weapons to young people. This follows the tragic murder of Ronan Kanda, who was killed by two 16-year-olds using ninja swords purchased online and collected from a post office.

The Bill also introduces a new offence for spiking, addressing the alarming rise in reported cases, amends existing legislation to tackle antisocial behaviour in our communities, and grants the police new powers to enter premises without a warrant if technology detects stolen, trackable items inside - helping reunite owners with their belongings and catching criminals red-handed.

Whilst it’s well documented that overall crime levels have declined over the past 30 years, retail crime, particularly shoplifting and violence against shop workers, has risen. According to the Association of Convenience Stores’ latest crime report, retail crime costs shop owners £316 million annually, averaging £6,259 per store.

Beyond financial losses, shop workers face the emotional and physical toll of increased violence, often linked to organised crime groups stealing to order. Earlier this year, the British Retail Consortium reported almost 2,000 daily incidents of violence against retail workers in 2024.

Hampshire has fared better than many areas in tackling retail crime.

Although there can be a perception that low-value shoplifting doesn’t get the attention it warrants, Hampshire Police actually recorded a 151 percent increase in action against shoplifters last year (leading to more offenders being charged and appearing in court), making it the most effective force in the country for tackling this offence. This follows the Police and Crime Commissioner’s blitz on retail crime as part of a national crackdown, and was further reiterated in Hampshire’s Police and Crime Plan.

The Crime and Policing Bill introduces two significant changes in this area: making assaulting a shop worker a specific offence and allowing shoplifting cases to be tried either in a magistrates’ court or a crown court—potentially leading to tougher sentences. Importantly, these measures may shift the perception that shoplifting is a ‘minor’ offence.

Of course, funding must follow these commitments, but for now, I’m optimistic that these new measures will support the police in cracking down on these abhorrent crimes that can wreak so much havoc on our local high streets.