Devon and Cornwall has recently entered into a new partnership with Auror, a software development company, to strengthen the Force's response to organised retail crime.

The Auror platform provides critical intelligence to enable teams to better fulfil their policing priorities and help identify prolific offenders so they can remove them from the streets and help protect businesses against shoplifting.

The Force will be the first in the country to go live with the ability to report directly to the police through Auror and a Forcewide roll out of the platform to officers and staff.

Superintendent Emma Butler Jones, Head of Prevention and Local Policing said: "Direct reporting to the police through the Auror platform has revolutionised how we tackle business crime in Devon and Cornwall.

“Auror not only allows us to investigate more efficiently, but also provides unprecedented access to intelligence across a vast area, enabling us to detect more crimes and reduce harm to our victims.

“This strengthens our response to organised retail crime, fostering collaboration with forces across the country.

“As a result, we are not just addressing one aspect of criminality, but preventing wider serious acquisitive crime and boosting public confidence in our ability to protect communities."

The Force’s charge and offender outcome rates for crimes reported through the platform are between six per cent and seven per cent higher than crimes reported through more traditional means.

Evidence and intelligence from the Auror platform has assisted officers in achieving more positive outcomes for victims and has also directly contributed towards applications of court orders which help to reduce offending and generally carry higher sentences at court.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “All traders, especially small businesses, are key to thriving towns and city centres, so we must do our utmost to make Devon and Cornwall a safe place to do business.

“That’s why I have made theft a priority for policing in my new Police and Crime Plan, tackling theft and shoplifting on our high streets and focusing on repeat crimes, repeat offenders, and repeat victims.

“The roll-out of this new system enables businesses to play their part in tackling this issue. It will help the police to build a picture to ensure offenders are brought to justice, and ultimately will help to identify the worst offenders more easily.

“We must all do our part to reduce crime and so I ask all businesses to make use of this new technology by reporting shoplifting every single time.

“This enables police resources to be put in the right places using evidence to support it."

Business crime is vastly under-reported, but the only way police can tackle this is through working in partnership with communities and partners.

Together they can understand who is causing the most harm to communities, and develop plans to actively prevent and detect crimes.

You can report crime online or via the 101 non-emergency service.

If you wish to remain anonymous you can report through the anonymous charity CrimeStoppers.