Officers in Warrington West have been bringing businesses at Gemini Retail Park together through a new app that allows them to quickly communicate with each other, helping to prevent and tackle shoplifting and similar retail-based crimes.
Warrington’s Gemini Retail Park is located next to junction 8 of the M62 and is home to several popular retailers, including Marks & Spencer and IKEA.
Unfortunately, as the retail park is located just off the motorway, which in itself is one of the main routes through Cheshire that many motorists use to travel to areas such as Manchester and Liverpool every day, its positioning has led to several businesses becoming targets for prolific shoplifters.
Enquiries from local officers identified that many offenders had been targeting multiple businesses across the retail park, and, despite being targetted by the same criminals, the stores were not communicating with each other, leading to opportunities to detect, prevent or share information being missed that resulted in extra demand being put on the police.
As part of efforts to tackle the growing issue of retail crime, one of the key pillars of the recently announced Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, PCSO Stepehen Heaps and PC Angela Barlow from the Warrington West Neighbourhood Team have been out and engaging with the retailers, providing them with the opportunity to join a community-like crime prevention scheme through the use of the Schemelink app.
Available on both mobile and desktop, the app has a WhatsApp-style chat group feature where images and information can be shared, an offender watchlist that allows profiles and CCTV images to be shared for other stores to monitor.
There is also a built in alert system feature that allows users to instantly draw the attention of other members in the apps “community” via a high pitched audible alarm and a short message, informing them of an ongoing serious incident or to share very important information that must be circulated to protect their business, staff and customers.
The app also utilises WiFi and cellular data to provide a business-grade two-way radio and walkie-talkie experience on mobile devices with its DigiTalk feature.
PCSO Stephen Heaps, who has been leading the rollout of Schemelink project across the Gemini Retail Park, said: “Initially, it was a challenge to get funding for the project, with many of the stores wary of funding it themselves especially if they did not know how the other stores were going to react or even take part, which lead me to looking at local funding and approaching Cheshire CrimeBeat – who kindly agreed to supply the money to fund the rollout of Schemelink.
“Stores such as Marks and Spencer, Ikea, Boots and Next, which have many high-value products on sale, have already started to share images and information surrounding offenders, of which some have been identified by other store staff, also warning each other about suspicious people as well.
“The app is always changing to provide users more flexibility and more tools to assist in their role; police have a full overview of everything that goes on within the app, and this can be used to help us gather information, offer updates and provide relevant resources to those affected where necessary.”
Warrington Neighbourhood Inspector Christopher Webster added: “Tackling shoplifting and retail crime forms as part of Cheshire Police’s commitment to the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, and we know it has a major impact on our local business community.
“Collaboration between police and the business community is key in fostering a partnership approach when dealing with all aspects of business crime. Police alone cannot effectively address all the issues related to crime and safety, but working together provides a broader problem-solving approach.
“The rollout of Schemelink has already yielded positive results, with several businesses at Gemini now regularly engaging with and working in step with one another in creating a united front against those intent of causing disruption and to their stores and staff – many of whom have already expressed their satisfaction with the app and how it has increased their confidence identifying offenders and bringing them to justice.”
