Coalville MP Amanda Hack has welcomed what is being described as the biggest package of new laws 'in decades' to tackle crime.

The Government is introducing a raft of measures, including brand new Respect Orders and action against shoplifting, as part of its flagship Crime and Policing Bill. 

The Orders come as shock data claims that Leicestershire Police handed down zero Penalty Notices for anti-social behaviour in 2023 – a fall from 1,800 in 2010.

Labour says it will also scrap the previous Government's 'shoplifter's charter', a law that deprioritised the theft of goods under £200. 

• The new measures are aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), shoplifting and street crime head-on, giving the police new powers to take back town centres from thugs and thieves.
• The Bill also includes measures to address the most serious violence and highest-harm offences such as knife crime, violence against women and girls, cybercrime, child sexual abuse, and terrorism.
• Labour says it will take back our streets and town centres, restore respect for law and order, and give the police and local communities the support and tools they need to tackle local crime

Ms Hack, MP for North West Leicestershire, said: "I've met with several local stores to discuss the impact of rising crime on them and their staff. 

"Most stores do not report shoplifting immediately, and it's not prioritised due to the previous Government's ruling on low-value goods. 

North West Leicestershire MP Amanda Hack. Photo: Supplied

"The reporting process is very time-consuming and can take colleagues away from the shop floor for a considerable amount of time. 

"Where we are now is unacceptable, which is why through this bill, we are removing barriers so our police forces can take action to combat this crime, restoring power to keep our shopkeepers safe and deterring this growing wave of crime blighting our community stores.

"I am also pleased that other measures within the Bill focus on supporting victims of stalking and spiking. Currently, Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) can only be applied for when an offender has been convicted and when a protection order was in place prior to their trial. Under our new measures, courts will be able to directly apply protection orders on those who have been acquitted if there is enough evidence to suggest that they are still a risk to the victim."

Statistics show that for the year ending September 2024, there were 7,614 incidences of shoplifting in Leicestershire, around 146 per week, with many going unreported.

The new measures aim to support the Government's plan to recruit 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles over the course of this Parliament. 

Leicestershire Police has been granted a 6.3 per cent funding increase to implement these reforms.