York traders were today urged to join forces with other retailers, the council and police to crack down on professional shoplifting in the city.

Racy - Retailers Against Crime in York - is a partnership between North Yorkshire Police, City of York Council, York Crime Prevention Panel and local retailers aimed at targeting gangs of thieves who go shoplifting to earn a living.

The scheme was first launched at the Grand Opera House back in March when mugshots of known shoplifters were passed around by York traders in a bid to beat the thieves.

Today the scheme was given an official launch with a champagne reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Derek Smallwood, at the Guildhall.

The latest development in the scheme involves sharing information on a special computer system called the Repeat Offenders Database. The city's new retail intelligence officer, Natalie Flemington, will use the system to pass on information abut shop crime to traders.

Val Carter, city centre services manager, said: "The priority is to get all York retailers on board, otherwise you just displace the problem of retail crime into non-participating stores." And PC John Bolton, community police officer for York city centre, said: "Rather than remaining passive and waiting for the shoplifters to attack our shops, we're being proactive in taking the battle to the shoplifters."

Kay Hobbs, manager of BHS in York, is the chairwoman of Racy and urged other stores to get involved.

She said: "By adopting a professional approach to dealing with shop theft we aim to ensure an appropriate response is made by the criminal justice system to persistent and professional offenders.

"If these professional thieves can just be removed from society for considerable periods of time, then their opportunity to inflict harm is reduced and their case acts as a deterrent to others who may see York as an easy target for rich pickings."

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