Shoplifters could find themselves banned from all stores in a Mid Wales town as part of a crackdown by police.

Persistent offenders could be issued with exclusion orders banning them from shops in Welshpool for up to two years under the scheme.

Police have come up with the new scheme in a bid to combat the town’s shoplifting problem and have dubbed it SABB (Steal And Be Banned).

They envisage the initiative will mirror the BOBB (Behave Or Be Banned) scheme which is currently operated by local licensees.

But Dyfed-Powys Police said it needed the help of the town’s shopkeepers to ensure the success of the venture.

It has called two meetings between shopkeepers and business leaders from the town.

Inspector Diane Davies, of Welshpool police, said the meetings would take place this week at Welshpool Fire Station in Severn Road.

“Anyone wanting to attend should get in touch with us and we will tell them all about the scheme and the time and place of these meetings,” she said.

She said the town was experiencing shoplifting problems and she said police officers wanted to put a stop to it.

“The town does have a shoplifting problem and this is just one element of our fight against the crime,” she added.

“The BOBB scheme has been a tremendous success and has helped reduce violent crime considerably thanks to the support of the licensees.

“This is an opportunity for the shopkeepers to take some control over their own situations.”

She said Constable Lindsay Sweetman and Community Support Officer Sarah Bebb, of the Neighbourhood Policing Team, had invited the shopkeepers to the meeting to explain how they would be provided with photographs of offenders to help them in the identification process if they agreed to take part.

Councillor Alan Crowe, from Welshpool, welcomed the initiative.

“I’m not sure if shoplifting is a big problem in Welshpool but I’m sure, like every other town in the country, shoplifting takes place,” he said.

“I welcome this initiative because if it cracks down on shoplifting then its a good thing and I hope it will be a great success for everyone involved.”

To find out more about the meetings and the SABB initiative call Dyfed-Powys Police on 101 or 0845 3302000.

By Andrew Morris