Croydon Council plans to launch a trial within the next couple of months to electronically tag prolific shoplifters using GPS ankle devices. The scheme, championed by Conservative Mayor Jason Perry, aims to curb frequent retail theft in the London borough by monitoring offenders as they enter banned shopping zones.
GPS Ankle Tags Planned by Jason Perry
Croydon is set to become the first London borough to test electronic ankle tags on prolific shoplifters, mirroring a strategy introduced in East Sussex last year by Sussex police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne. Conservative elected mayor Jason Perry announced plans to launch the pilot scheme within the next couple of months, pending coordination with the Metropolitan Police and local court system.
According to Sussex Police, the cost of individual GPS tags ranges from £275 to £400, though police forces may negotiate volume discounts. The technology monitors individuals to track when they enter shopping areas they have been barred from by courts. Data from the East Sussex pilot showed that 29.4% of cases resulted in a caution, charge, or other criminal disposal, compared to just 7.3% before the technology was introduced.
Freshfields Market Facing Daily Thefts
Family-run grocers in the area report dealing with multiple daily thefts, primarily targeting items like wine, coffee, and chocolate. Ben Selvaratnam, owner and managing director of Freshfields Market in Croydon, stated that his business faces at least two or three incidents daily, costing hundreds of pounds a day and damaging staff morale. He offered a cautious welcome to the proposed tagging trial, explaining that smaller enterprises lack corporate backing to absorb inventory losses.
We’re a small family business. We don’t have a big head office to offset the costs so we do try to retrieve stolen goods. We do challenge shoplifters and say look we need this back, and at that point it’s 50-50 whether they give it back or not.
Ben Selvaratnam, owner and managing director of Freshfields Market
Selvaratnam emphasized that the tracking devices must remain affordable for retailers and authorities, noting, They just can’t be an expensive ankle bracelet.
The British Independent Retail Association also welcomed the technology while cautioning that smaller independent shops could struggle with the financial burden of adoption.
Croydon Council Figures on Shoplifting
Local officials report a slight decrease in retail crime across the town centre over the past year. Croydon Council figures show 4,796 reported shop thefts in the last 12 months, down from 5,043 during the previous year. Mayor Perry attributes this downward trend to a combination of policing strategies, including live facial recognition cameras deployed earlier this year by the Metropolitan Police with council support, alongside a public space protection order that cut antisocial behaviour by 24% over three years.
Local business efforts include the Croydon Business Improvement District funding uniformed street patrols, known as BID rangers, since 2022 to maintain a visible deterrent in the town centre.
Councillor Janet Campbell Seeks Operational Details
Despite these measures, the tagging proposal has met political scrutiny. Councillor Janet Campbell, representing the Labour group on Croydon Council, stated that her group supports the concept of electronic tagging but insists the elected mayor must release specific operational details.
We feel as though the people of Croydon deserve more than a proposal. What they deserve is some detail as to how this is going to happen, where the funding is going to come from, and will he have the power to fulfil this proposal.
Councillor Janet Campbell, Labour group on Croydon Council
She emphasized that transparency regarding funding and enforcement powers remains essential before any such initiative can move forward within the local community.
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