Girls litter pick to say sorry over shop thefts

PCSO John Lockwood and Boots store manager Clare Embrey with the apology letters

Two school girls who stole from a Chesterfield shop have been made carry out a litter pick in the town centre and write a letter of apology to the manager.

The girls aged 11 and 12-years-old were caught shoplifting at Boots in Chesterfield last month.

As well as apologising and carrying out the litter pick on a busy Saturday afternoon the girls had to pay for what they had taken and have been banned from the store.

In a letter to the store's manager, one of the youngsters wrote: "Having to face the store manager, the policeman, and most of all my parents has made me realise how wrong I was to shoplift.

"Thank you for not charging me with this crime, to face people I knew in Chesterfield whilst I litter picked was humiliating and the whole terrible experience will stay with me for the rest of my life."

The crime was dealt with under restorative justice, an initiative introduced by Derbyshire Constabulary in April 2009 to reduce bureaucracy and deal with crime in a way which achieves a positive outcome, in line with the victims' wishes and without the case going through the court process.

PCSO John Lockwood, of the Chesterfield Town Centre Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Restorative Justice is about finding positive solutions and encouraging offenders to face up to their actions, making them understand what they've done wrong and giving them an opportunity to do something to repair the harm.

"The girls paid for what they took and did not get to keep it as well as writing a letter of apology and carrying out a litter pick in the town centre.

"Hopefully, as in other cases we've dealt with, it will prevent the youngsters re-offending and the victim is also satisfied with the outcome."

Since the start of the year 15 youngsters who have been caught shoplifting from Boots in Chesterfield have been dealt with by restorative justice.

Boots store manager Clare Embrey said she championed the scheme.

Ms Embrey added: "I think the scheme is fantastic and very advantageous in freeing up police time, my security team's time and it gives the youngsters a real shock.

"Hopefully, those who have been caught will tell their friends about the experience and it will get the message across to other youngsters the repercussions of shoplifting."

"I have spoken to my colleagues across the country and they would welcome this type of scheme."

To find out more about restorative justice visit the website www.restorativejustice.org.uk.