A nationwide crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour has been launched as police, councils and businesses united to protect shoppers, retail workers, and Christmas revellers, Home Office announced today (Dec 3).
To keep communities safe over the busy Christmas period, police will use hotspot patrols, quick visible enforcement, and locally tailored approaches, working closely with businesses and community groups to clamp down on shop theft and street crime across hundreds of town centres.
The Winter of Action builds on the Safer Streets Summer initiative, which took place in almost 650 town centres and resulted in over 16,000 arrests and fines, mostly for shop theft and anti-social behaviour.
The summer also saw targeted visible patrols up almost 20 per cent compared to the previous year, largely in town centres.
This boosted public confidence in town centres. According to a IPSOS national survey, levels of anti-social behaviour witnessed or experienced in town centres reduced over the summer.
There was also a fall in concerns about anti-social behaviour and crime deterring people from visiting their local town or city centre.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said, "Shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are tearing at the fabric of our communities.
"This winter we are launching a crime-fighting blitz with police patrolling our high streets across the country. This is part of our wider plans to fight crime with 3,000 more police on the beat by the spring to catch criminals and make our communities safe."
Greater Manchester Police saw shop theft and other forms of theft reduced by 20 per cent from last year, street crime down by 11 per cent, and serious violent crime down by 8 per cent as part of their Safer Streets Summer activity.
Violent crime nearly halved in Weymouth town centre thanks to dedicated patrols that began during the summer months, with increased activity taking place in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights.
APCC Joint Leads on Local Policing, Chris Nelson (PCC for Gloucestershire) and Matt Storey (PCC for Cleveland) said, "Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) and deputy mayors are committed to driving efforts to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour so that neighbourhoods and communities can thrive.
"The government’s Winter of Action will build on the success of the Safer Streets Summer initiative with a particular focus on tackling retail crime and persistent anti-social behaviour, and offending linked to the night-time economy and male violence against women and girls.
"We are determined to deliver continued change for our local communities so, with our local police forces and other partners, PCCs and deputy mayors will be working harder than ever during these busier, festive months to keep people safe."
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, "We welcome the ‘Winter of Action’, building on the great work seen over the summer with the Safer Streets initiative.
"It is encouraging to see government taking action against retail crime which has climbed over the past few years. Last year saw record highs of theft, violence and abuse, and incidents tend to spike around Christmas."
December will also see the police deploy a new tool in their fight against knife crime, targeting hyperlocal areas that are most impacted.
These special zones, known as HEX due to their hexagon-like shapes, are roughly the size of 10 football pitches and are identified using police intelligence and local data to focus resources where they matter most.
By focusing on these zones, police and local partners can work together on detailed problem-solving to tackle the root causes of crime and prevent violence in locations across towns and cities.
HEX pilots are commencing in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Peterborough, and London, focusing on locations where knife crime is most prominent.
In Birmingham, HEX activity is targeting hotspots around the city centre and key transport hubs, while in Leeds and Liverpool the approach is being tailored to areas with persistent youth violence and weapon carrying.
Paul Gerrard, Director - Campaigns, Public Affairs and Policy, Co-op, said, "Co-op is focussed on British high streets, and welcomes a nationwide crackdown on retail crime this Winter, as we are confident the tide of criminality can be turned and have seen crime levels decline in the Co-op during 2025. But this must be just the start.
"We continue to invest significantly in wide-ranging safety and security measures, and we need police to continue to attend more often and Government to maintain the focus they have on the issue.
"Our partnerships with police forces across the UK are vital as we protect our colleagues, our shops and the communities they serve. Local stores play a vital role, and we all must continue to do all we can to protect them, we are dedicated to continuing with shared commitments and co-operation, and confident we can strengthen local communities and support high streets across the country."
The Winter of Action continues the government’s drive to restore neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which from July has meant named, contactable officers in every community, increased peak time patrols in town centres and anti-social behaviour leads in every force.
From spring next year there will be 3,000 additional officers in neighbourhood policing roles with officers set to have new powers to tackle shop theft and anti-social behaviour through the Crime and Policing Bill.
This includes a new specific offence of assaulting a retail worker, ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods of and under £200 and the introduction of Respect Orders.