Police tackling shoplifting with targeted action in Worthing

Police in Worthing say a crackdown on shoplifting is delivering results, with officers targeting prolific offenders and recording a fall in offences across the town.

Sussex Police introduced its One Touch Reporting scheme in Adur and Worthing in 2024, allowing shop staff to report thefts immediately at the touch of a button. The force says the aim was to make reporting easier for retailers and improve intelligence around what had previously been an under-reported crime.

Police say the system has led to a significant increase in reports, helping officers record incidents more accurately, target resources more effectively and identify repeat offenders. Through Operation Apprentice, officers have carried out targeted patrols aimed at tackling those believed to be responsible for the highest number of thefts.

The latest figures show the rate of solved shop thefts last year was four times higher than in 2022. Police also say the total number of shoplifting offences in Worthing has fallen by eight per cent over the past 12 months compared with the same period a year earlier.

Three more offenders in West Sussex have recently been dealt with by the courts. Among them was Fardin Farji, 32, of no fixed address, who admitted eight thefts from stores in Worthing and Shoreham during March and April, including repeated offences at the Co-op in Goring Road. He was jailed for six weeks at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 16 April and banned from entering retail premises in West Sussex.

Daniel Mansfield, 41, of Ivy Arch Road, Worthing, admitted 14 shop theft offences and eight breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order. He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete rehabilitation sessions. TJ Nelms, 24, of no fixed address, was jailed for 16 weeks after admitting six shop thefts and two breaches of a Community Protection Notice.

Adur and Worthing District Commander Chief Inspector James Davidson said: “We understand the significant impact retail crime has on our communities and shopworkers, and tackling shoplifting is a priority for us.

“These convictions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to prosecuting the worst offenders and securing convictions where we have the evidence to do so.

“Reports of shoplifting in Worthing increased significantly following the introduction of a unique pilot scheme to make reporting as easy as possible.

“This One Touch Reporting scheme makes it easier and more efficient for shop staff to report crime, ensuring that crimes are recorded accurately and our resources are targeted more effectively.

“The information and intelligence gained from this has fed into a proactive policing approach, alongside our partners, leading to a significant fall in the number of incidents over the last year.

“Visible policing and community reassurance remains central to our approach to tackling shop theft. We work with businesses and partners to promote and increase reporting, and to encourage crime prevention measures.

“Meanwhile, through Operation Apprentice, we target prolific offenders, and we continue to take robust action through both civil and criminal measures to reduce the harm caused to communities, arrest more offenders, solve more crimes, and secure more court convictions.

“We continue to encourage the public, businesses and staff to report incidents to us online or by calling 101. In an emergency always call 999.”

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: ““A rise in the number of reports of shop theft in Worthing shows that businesses finally have the confidence to report because they know that officers will respond and the results are positive.

“Policing relies on accurate intelligence and reporting of crime to deploy resources effectively and identify offenders. Without that information, shoplifters will go unchallenged and our high streets will suffer. That’s why I have worked tirelessly with businesses and our crime reduction partnerships to encourage people to report every incident of shop theft, abuse and assault on staff.

“However, with more incidents now being reported, we often see Sussex cited as having some of the highest volume of shoplifting offences per head of population.

“The reality is that increasing reporting has enabled Sussex Police to take robust action. As reporting figures have risen, our dedicated Business Crime Team has worked with Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and retailers to give officers a better understanding of the impact of shoplifting. As a result, we are now seeing more crimes being solved and more offenders brought to justice.

“When examining recorded shoplifting offences in Worthing town centre using data published on Sussex Police’s website, the average fell to 28 offences per month between March 2025 and February 2026, compared with 47 per month during the same period in 2024–25. This represents a significant and sustained reduction in shop theft.

“As of September 2025, Worthing’s overall recorded crime had fallen to 1,856 incidents, alongside a 5% reduction in shoplifting offences across Sussex as a whole. This is clear evidence that our approach is delivering results.

“Sussex is also at the forefront nationally through its participation in the unique One Touch Reporting scheme in Co op stores, launched in 2024, which enables faster reporting. Worthing is now one of the highest performing One Touch areas, with retail staff confident that crimes are being reported quickly and efficiently and that officers are responding effectively.

“I also want to be clear that there is no £200 minimum threshold for reporting shoplifting. The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 removed the outdated distinction that treated offences under £200 as ‘low value’. Every shop theft is a crime that matters and every offence should be reported to the police.

“I continue to work with Sussex Police to keep our communities safe. There is substantial proactive work underway by neighbourhood policing teams in Worthing and the surrounding areas.

“Compared with many other force areas nationally, Sussex is leading by example - prioritising strong partnerships with retailers, using innovative reporting methods and taking a firm, consistent approach to tackling both opportunistic shoplifting and organised retail crime. This is how we ensure Sussex remains a safe place to live, work and do business.”