Harborough Shops to Be Offered Bodycams in Crime Prevention Pilot

Independent shops across Harborough are set to be offered body-worn cameras as part of a new initiative designed to tackle retail crime and improve staff safety.

Harborough District Council has secured £5,260 in funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews for the scheme, which will provide 13 bodycams and access to e-learning courses for retail staff.

The equipment will be distributed through a pilot programme involving participating businesses, with the council assessing its effectiveness before deciding whether to expand the scheme.

Market Harborough town centre

Mr Matthews said retailers regularly tell him they are frustrated by persistent shoplifting and concerned about the safety of frontline staff.

He said: “I want our businesses to thrive across our region but to do so they must feel supported and listened to.

“I meet business owners and shopkeepers every day. They are frustrated that their livelihoods are coming under constant threat by undeterred criminals and are worried for their frontline staff.”

He added that retail crime affects everyone through higher prices, increased insurance costs and damage to the wider economy, and said the bodycams would help deter offenders while improving evidence gathering and increasing the chances of detection.

Rupert Matthews

A Harborough District Council spokesperson said the scheme was designed to combine staff training with practical measures to reduce incidents of aggression and anti-social behaviour.

They said: “We are committed to supporting local businesses and helping staff feel safer at work.

“By equipping staff with the skills to de-escalate difficult situations and introducing a visible deterrent where needed, we aim to create a safer environment for employees, customers and visitors.”

The pilot forms part of the council’s Harborough District Business Safety Scheme and will be monitored to help shape future initiatives aimed at reducing business crime.