Police say they won't visit stores to arrest shoplifters - and tell traders to send in their CCTV footage instead

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Police have announced they will not visit their stores to investigate shoplifting - and told business owners to send in CCTV footage of the suspects instead.

As part of a money-saving scheme in Swindon, Wiltshire Police officers will no longer attend the scene of the crime.

Shop owners will be asked to take down the details of any offenders and file their own statement to the police.

New scheme: The business owners will need to send in CCTV footage of the incident to the police force's headquarters (pictured, file image) - and are expected to pay for their own recorded delivery

They will also need to send in CCTV footage of the incident to the police force's headquarters - and are expected to pay for their own recorded delivery.

According to the Sun, the measure, due to be introduced on November 1, was announced to business owners in the town in a letter this week.

It said an officer will not attend the scene of the crime but there will be an investigator available to give advice over the phone. 

It comes months after Leicestershire Police announced they had been refusing to attend attempted burglaries at houses with odd-numbers in their own bizarre cost-cutting measure.

The force trialled the scheme to assess the effectiveness of sending forensic officers to a crime scene and found it had no impact on the number of incidents or victim satisfaction. 

It was rolled out by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), which provides a range of services to Lincolnshire as a result of 'significant year on year cuts to policing budgets'. 

Police have announced they will not visit their stores to arrest shoplifters - and told business owners to send in CCTV footage of the suspects instead (file image)

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: 'This new system will ensure CCTV evidence is processed quicker and by investigators who are familiar with the main offenders in the area. 

'An increase in turnaround times, the apprehension of a greater number of suspects and a reduction of crime are also anticipated as a direct result of these change.'

Superintendent Charlie Armstrong said: 'I would want to reassure everyone that if an offender is apprehended or detained then we will attend as we always have done. 

'Likewise, if the footage relates to a crime involving harm to someone, a continuing risk or a threat which causes someone fear then, again, we will be there to support, help and investigate.'