I joined Hastings and Rother District Commander Chief Inspector Yates and partners (Councillors, Hastings Business Improvement District Manager, the Community Safety Partnership Manager and Council Wardens) to acknowledge the successful work of a dedicated, visible policing team within Hastings Town Centre and Old Town.
The new deployment and patrol patterns have been in place since January and have already seen a high volume of successful outcomes, particularly on retail crime. This is just what residents tell me they want - more bobbies on the beat, visible in our town high streets and villages.
In East Sussex alone, successful outcomes from visible policing have increased by 156% compared to the previous year.
From January 1 to April 1 2025, 28 individuals have been charged with retail crime - such as shoplifting or assault - with officers prioritising charges over Out of Court Disposals, to increase the quality of justice for victims.
Five prolific offenders have already been charged with multiple offences:
- A woman has been charged with 33 offences and 10 Taken into Consideration offences for shoplifting
- A man has been charged with 21 offences of theft/shoplifting
- A man has been charged with 37 counts of theft/shoplifting
- A man has been charged with 1 count of business burglary and 2 counts of theft/shoplifting
- A man has been charged with burglary, assault, shoplifting, fraud involving stolen bank cards, going equipped to steal and possession of drug offences
- A man has been charged with 5 offences of theft/shoplifting and remains on bail for a further 11 offences while evidence is gathered
During February and March, Sussex Police have also seen decreases in criminal damage, anti-social behaviour and burglary across Hastings when compared to the previous month and year.
