New scheme aims to stop persistent Melton Mowbray shoplifters reoffending

The idea of ‘Offending to Recovery’ is for someone with experience of similar situations to work in the community to provide support to repeat offenders and help rebuild their lives.

The new officer, employed through a council contract with Ingeus, can help individuals address their underlying issues, point them to job or educational opportunities, and accompany them to medical appointments.

Borough councillor Sharon Butcher, Independent representative for Melton Craven ward and former long-standing landlady of the town’s The Grapes pub, has spent months working with others on the scheme.

She said: “It was always the same people. It’s a cycle, a merry-go-round. They steal to feed their habit or even to eat.

“It’s not really rocket science: if people keep getting locked up, coming out, doing the same thing, and getting locked up again, clearly something isn’t working.

“But they believe that people think that little of them, it’s not worth the change. And that’s why I like the idea of a person on the street with lived experience. I think they’ll listen to them because they were that person once.”

The scheme is funded by a grant from Melton BID, a not-for-profit company supporting local businesses, and by £10,000 from the Community Safety Partnership grant scheme, which is funded by the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. However, the funding currently secured will only cover the cost of work for one day a week.

A spokesperson for Melton Borough Council said: “This important initiative has been developed by the Safer Melton Partnership over the past year to address the impact of shoplifting and retail crime in our town centre.

“Through this scheme, the safer communities team will work in partnership with Ingeus to provide tailored support for individuals involved in repeat retail offences.

"Individuals will be referred to the new service by Melton Borough Council or Melton police, ensuring that those who need help are identified early.

“Delivered locally by professionals with lived experience, the scheme will offer tailored support alongside practical guidance and intervention.

"Offenders to Recovery aims to reduce reoffending, support our local businesses, and help individuals make positive, long-term changes for themselves and their communities.”

The new scheme launches comes shortly after Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Rupert Matthews (Reform UK), launched his own safety scheme, reintroducing street wardens from private security companies to the streets of Melton.

The wardens are equipped with body-worn cameras and are trained in de-escalation, safeguarding, and mental health awareness, but do not have arrest powers.

The county Police Federation criticised the PCC scheme, saying it was effectively privatising policing and the money should instead be invested in frontline officers.

Councillor Butcher feels the funds could have been used instead to expand the new Offending to Recovery scheme.

Deputy PCC Oliver Bryan said: “We are united in our goal to reduce crime, which necessarily requires a focus on prevention.

"Whether through increased patrols or targeted one-to-one mentoring, the priority must be delivering measurable outcomes.”