With shoplifting and assaults on retail staff rising sharply nationwide, Woking is ramping up efforts to keep its high street safe. The town is part of the Home Secretary’s Safer Streets summer blitz — a campaign involving more than 500 towns across England and Wales — bringing more police onto the streets and targeting trouble hotspots.

Shop theft and violent abuse of retail workers have surged nationally, with offences doubling since 2022 and shoplifting up by over 60 per cent. But in Woking, police, council, and businesses are fighting back.

Dame Diana Johnson, visiting Woking to see the initiative in action, said: “This is about the investment the Government is making into neighbourhood policing, which, as we know, has declined over the last few years. We’re very focused on making sure that neighbourhood presence is there in our town centres, high streets, and villages — that there’s a visible police presence here in Woking.

“I was just in JD Sports, and they were telling me about assaults that have been happening, which is appalling. And this idea that if you steal goods worth less than £200 no action will be taken — we’re getting rid of that. Theft is theft, and it will be dealt with.”

Borough Commander Inspector Ed Lyons said Woking has been identified as one of 11 anti-social behaviour hotspots in Surrey, with targeted patrols in the town centre.

“We have numerous extra patrols almost daily in those areas, with dedicated resources to carry out high-visibility patrols and deal with ASB and crime. The Safer Streets initiative is about positive days of action — we recently held one where about 15–16 officers were out in Woking, and we saw no crime reported for days afterwards, which is almost unheard of.

“There’s no minimum theft value we won’t investigate. If a shoplifting incident happens, we act. Our Chief Constable has promised a full investigation on every case. But we also work with partner agencies to address underlying causes like addiction and mental health — aiming for long-term solutions.”

This summer blitz is part of the government’s wider Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, aiming to put thousands more officers on the streets. Surrey Police alone are adding 25 officers and 15 PCSOs, backed by £200 million nationwide investment.

Lisa Townsend, Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Visible policing is a powerful deterrent. When people see officers patrolling, it makes a real difference to their sense of safety. The partnership with the council is crucial — working together we can tackle shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, and serious crime.”

Local businesses are welcoming the boost. A shop-floor worker from JD Sports in Woking said: “Assaults on staff increase over the summer, and shoplifting has risen due to inflation. Having police regularly outside the shop makes us feel safer and deters theft. The extra patrols really help.”

This summer’s blitz also offers activities for young people across the town to steer them away from trouble and rebuild trust between communities and police.

As Dame Diana Johnson said: “This isn’t just a summer project — it’s a long-term promise to bring back strong, visible neighbourhood policing that Woking and towns like it deserve.”