Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards has launched a new Retail Crime Forum to work at pace with retailers across the county to tackle shoplifting and wider retail crime.

The Forum will accelerate collaboration between national and independent retailers, business groups, and the police and key partners to address retail crime and improve crime prevention and business confidence in Hertfordshire.

The Forum's first meeting, to be hosted by a large retailer, will be held on Tuesday 6 May. Retailers big and small throughout Hertfordshire are encouraged to attend and have their voice heard. Retailers can register their interest at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum

The Commissioner's new Police and Crime Plan for Hertfordshire will prioritise tackling shop theft and wider crime that affects retailers. The Retail Crime Forum will deliver on the Plan's priority to convene businesses and the police to take a collaborative approach to tackling retail crime across the entire county, improving crime prevention and reporting and improving the confidence of retailers.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said: "Thriving town and village centres and retail parks are essential to Hertfordshire's economy. But retail crime risks harming the ability of businesses to grow and prosper.

"My new Police and Crime Plan will tackle the crime types that residents and businesses have told me are the most important concerns locally. I have listened to business owners, retail workers and residents, and shoplifting is an issue of major public concern.

"I have therefore launched the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum to bring together businesses and the police to agree what more we can do in partnership to tackle retail crime across the entire county. I want to see robust action against prolific shoplifters and those who assault retail workers so that businesses have the confidence to report crime and people feel safe in their place of work.

"The Forum will be a place where businesses can have their voice heard. I want to have a constructive conversation about what more we can do in partnership, and I encourage retailers large and small to join us for the first meeting on 6 May."

Register your interest in joining the Hertfordshire Retail Crime Forum here: at bit.ly/HertsRetailCrimeforum.