Hello

I'm delighted to share encouraging results from my innovative Operation STOP initiative, which combines GPS tagging with tailored rehabilitation support for prolific shoplifters across Sussex.

An independent evaluation has found a promising 58% reduction in offending among the small cohort taking part. All eight offenders included in the initial analysis reduced their offending after being tagged, with five committing no further offences at all. The scheme is estimated to have prevented around 300 offences a year, saving up to £100,000 in associated costs to police and the wider criminal justice system.

I launched the ground-breaking Operation STOP in East Sussex in 2025 to tackle persistent shop theft while also addressing the complex issues that often drive offending. It is the first time in the UK that prolific shoplifters have been tagged and, following the success of the pilot, the scheme has expanded countywide, increasing capacity to 30 GPS tags.

What makes this approach particularly effective is that it combines enforcement with practical support. Through a dedicated Business Crime Navigator, participants can access help with housing, healthcare, substance misuse treatment and employment support, giving them a real opportunity to turn their lives around.

These early results are extremely promising. By protecting retailers, supporting police investigations and helping offenders break the cycle of crime, Operation STOP is making our high streets safer while delivering a smart and compassionate approach to reducing reoffending.

Young People’s Voices Needed

Keeping Sussex safe means not only tackling crime when it happens but also understanding and addressing the root causes of violence before it occurs. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I'm pleased to have been awarded funding to support the Sussex Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) which brings together police, education, health, local authorities and community organisations to help prevent serious violence and create better opportunities for young people across the county.

Our Sussex VRP is conducting an engagement survey to better understand children and young people’s use of social media. The results of this survey will help to inform workshops which will be conducted later in the year, working directly with children in Sussex to obtain candid feedback and insight on their use of social media, feelings of safety and thoughts around the upcoming social media ban.

This work will also include a dedicated workshop with my Sussex Youth Ambassadors, whose insight and lived experience will help ensure that young people’s voices are at the heart of the discussion and the solutions that follow.

The VRP will use the anonymous survey responses to provide insight to adults in Sussex on children’s use of social media and to help ensure that future services and support reflect the voices of young people in Sussex.

Please share the survey with the children you know, support or live with.

Katy Bourne OBE
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner