Kettering High Street anti-social behaviour and shoplifting raised in Parliament by local MP

Problems affecting local stores including Geek Retreat, which had a brick thrown through its window and eggs smashed on the shop front, have been highlighted by the MP.

In a Westminster Hall debate on police presence on High Streets, that took place on Thursday (June 5), Ms Wrighting told fellow MPs about the impact incidents had on stores and shop workers.

Ms Wrighting’s first job was working at Kettering’s Top Shop giving her first-hand experience.

She said: “Retailers up and down the High Street spoke of similar experiences of shoplifting and anti-social behaviour and the lengths to which they have to go to mitigate it. One shop reallocated shifts to prevent more vulnerable members of staff being intimidated at closing time.

“It is unacceptable that over 2,000 incidents of violence or abuse towards retail workers are reported every single day. As someone who started their career in retail working on a shop floor in Kettering, I know the impact of intimidation and what it can do to someone who is just trying to do their job.”

In the debate Ms Wrighting praised hard-working police officers from Northamptonshire Police, recognising the financial and operational challenges the force has faced in recent years, and highlighted Operation Napery, their crackdown on anti-social behaviour and crime linked to young people in Kettering.

The government has promised to address crimes blighting town centres by providing 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs by 2029.

Speaking after the debate, Rosie said: “After 14 years of the Tories, too many town centres and high streets across the country have been gripped by an epidemic of anti-social behaviour, theft and shoplifting, which cannot be allowed to continue.

“This Labour Government will not stand for it and is taking action to 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 Wrighting had called for a new accessible police hub to be considered, and in April it was confirmed by Northamptonshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Danielle Stone, that a search is under way for a new site.