Police in Teignmouth and Dawlish are urging retailers to sign up to a free tool to combat high street crime.

The UK Partners Against Business Crime Reduction Solution, known as UKPAC, is an online portal and smartphone app that enables traders to easily report crimes and share intelligence. The tool makes it easier for communities to work together against persistent and repeat offenders and helps police to build stronger evidence files to increase the chances of successful prosecutions.

‘Shoplifting is a priority for the Teignmouth and Dawlish neighbourhood team,’ a police spokesperson said. ‘We recognise that it is almost a daily occurrence committed by multiple different suspects and different approaches are needed to reduce the issue.’

Last month, Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez visited Teignmouth to meet with town council and local business representatives. She described the town as ‘thriving, close knit and with an enviable community spirit’.

Hernandez is funding subscriptions to UKPAC for 12 months and said that ‘the more traders that sign up, the more effective the tool becomes’.

Her goal is for ‘Teignmouth to become the first town in Devon and Cornwall to have all businesses signed up to it, including those working within the night time economy’.

UKPAC is also being piloted in Torquay and Hernandez reported that early results have already shown it is working with successful convictions having been secured thanks to the data provided by traders through UKPAC.

‘My overall aim is to rollout UKPAC throughout the region to ensure that all communities have access to this vital tool that can and will combat crime and make our towns and cities safer and happier places to live,’ Hernandez said.

For more information about UKPAC and to sign up visit https://orlo.uk/06NOb