Norwich business targeted by thieves over two days

The impact of years of cuts to police resources and the cost-of-living crisis is consistently being felt by small business owners who believe that petty theft is now no longer a concern to the constabulary.

The news comes after new figures from the Home Office, revealed more than 90pc of crimes in Norfolk go unsolved.

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One of the thieves caught on Helen's CCTV on September 13 (Image: Helen Shepherd)

However the police say: “Our priority has and will always be to catch those responsible for committing crimes.”

One shop owner was recently targeted by thieves twice in the span of two days.

After being subject to two separate thefts in July Helen Shepherd, owner of Sinsins Boutique of Love in St Benedicts Street, revealed that two more incidents have recently taken place.

Occurring on September 13 and 14 it takes the total number of thefts to four in only three months at the 53-year-old's business.

Helen, who recently slammed the police's lack of action dealing with the previous two cases, said: "I very nearly didn't go in on Friday after the latest theft.

"I honestly can't afford to lose this much stock - I'm so sick of it.

Pictured L-R: Assistant Sara Matthews, with Sin Sins owner, Helen Shepherd (Image: Helen Shepherd)"It's clear that actions of the government in the last few years, effectively decriminalising shoplifting, has now led us to this crisis.

"People feel emboldened to act like this now.

"Something is going to have to happen soon or the city will just become the wild west.

"I need to try and claw something back so my shop doesn't go under, because I can't sustain these losses."

A police spokeswoman said: “Officers work hard to investigate reports of crime to bring offenders to justice.

The other theft was caught on CCTV on September 14 (Image: Helen Shepherd)“Our priority has and will always be to catch those responsible for committing crimes and we are constantly adapting our tactics and deploying a range of resources - specialist investigators, scenes of crime specialists and drone technology – to improve solve rates.”

Charlotte Perkins, director of Just Essentials Hair and Beauty in Guildhall Hill, added: "Things are getting out of hand.

"In my view theft isn't really a priority for the police.

"Our store is quite small so you can see everyone that comes in and out but it seems like, for other shops in Norwich, that incidents are increasing because people know the police can't do anything.

"The police need to do something."

Alice Macdonald, Labour's candidate for Norwich North, said the Home Office figures were devastating (Image: Submitted)With just 9pc of crimes across Norfolk resulted in a charge or summons last year council leaders are taking notice.

In a joint statement Alice Macdonald, Labour's candidate for Norwich North and Keir Cozens, Labour's candidate for Great Yarmouth, said: "These figures are devastating.

"People in our communities deserve so much more. 

"We cannot accept a situation where 91pc of crimes go unsolved, including some of the most serious violent offences."

Cat Stones, director of Lowell in Pottergate (Image: Newsquest)Helen added that the whole process with the police has been "messy".

"Everything from the start has been massively inefficient."

The police believe its solve rate is better than the Home Office figures suggest, adding: “These figures assume that crimes are only ‘solved’ if they result in a charge or summons.

“If we include all outcomes, the solve rate in Norfolk for the year ending March 2023 is 15.9pc meaning Norfolk Constabulary has the highest solve rate of all forces in the country.”

Lowell, a records and vintage clothing shop, in Pottergate (Image: Newsquest)

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Cat Stones, director of records and vintage clothing shop - Lowell - in Pottergate, says: "I've been here for the last two and a half years and theft is definitely more frequent than it used to be.

"Thankfully we haven't had any thefts but it's increased a lot.

“People are getting more desperate and they'll seemingly try and steal anything they could potentially sell on."