Shoplifting down significantly in Welsh town as police target offenders
Dewi Williams
Fifteen people with a combined total of 67 offences have been charged and taken to court as a result of a crackdown on shoplifting in a Welsh town.
The number of shoplifting offences in Llanelli has gone down in recent months as Llanelli’s Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Team (NPPT) targeted prolific shoplifters across the town and in Trostre Retail Park.
15 offenders have been arrested since the work began, with one person being jailed for 13 separate offences and another charged with 15 separate offences. They’re due to be sentenced at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Monday, 20 July 2026.
Dyfed-Powys Police have worked closely with retailers across the town to establish more prevention methods, including the Steal and Be Banned (SABB) Scheme. This sees offenders banned from all stores that sign up to the scheme and lets retailers share intelligence about local and travelling criminals.
Further work is planned with the introduction of the app ‘Auror’. This app lets retailers report non-violent crime, such as shoplifting, directly to police. They can upload images of offenders or vehicles, CCTV footage, and witness statements which gives officers access to high-quality evidence and intelligence to support their investigations.
‘Auror’ is also able to build profiles of repeat offenders and link incidents using AI.
Sgt Tom Grace said:
“This has been a fantastic team effort from NPPT, response officers, and retailers. This work has led to less shoplifting offences and made it harder for people to commit these crimes across Llanelli.
“The close relationships we’ve built with stores and the better access to CCTV have allowed our officers to deliver quick and effective results. I’m proud of the work they’ve done and I’m confident that the prevention methods they’re helping to embed will make our town safer.”
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