A week-long national campaign to prevent and detect business crime has led to a series of successful convictions across Sussex, with multiple prolific shoplifters jailed and others handed strict Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).
Held from 17–21 March, the first-ever Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) Week saw Sussex Police teams carry out high-visibility patrols, engage with retailers, and target repeat offenders across the county.
Among the key results: (photo from top left)
- Jodie Dawkins, 31, of Eastbourne, was jailed for 41 weeks after admitting 12 counts of shoplifting, stealing more than £1,300 worth of goods.
- Ryan Breach, 35, was sentenced to two months in prison for thefts from B&M, Tesco, and Co-Op stores in Worthing.
- Jamil Davies, 33, of Brighton, received a suspended 12-month sentence for 11 thefts and was issued a five-year CBO.
- Amy Jones, 32, of Worthing, was jailed for 13 months after breaching an existing CBO 10 times and committing 10 further thefts.
- Joseph Marodza, 31, of Eastbourne, was given a suspended sentence and a three-year CBO after stealing clothes and chocolates from multiple stores.
In addition to arrests, the Arun BCRP was officially launched to support crime prevention and increase reporting from local businesses.
Test purchases conducted during the week in Eastbourne and Hampden Park revealed that 25% of retailers sold restricted items like vapes and tobacco to underage customers. These findings will now be reviewed by Trading Standards.
Chief Inspector Andy Nicklin, business crime lead for East Sussex, said:
“Prolific offenders cause the most harm to businesses, and we are resolute in our efforts to tackle business crime and support retailers.”
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne added that the BCRPs are vital to building public confidence and improving communication between retailers and law enforcement.
