A Pembrokeshire County Councillor has spoke of his concern of retail crime and shoplifting impacting not only his ward of the seaside village of Saundersfoot but surrounding areas as well, and efforts to tackle it.

Recently, before the summer season kicked in, Cllr Chris Williams joined two village walkabouts with local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

He said: “These sessions continue to be highly beneficial for two key reasons; firstly, they provide an excellent opportunity to raise and discuss issues that have been reported by residents.

“This enables me to assess how certain matters can be addressed and resolved in collaboration with the police.

“Secondly, these walkabouts allow me to provide the PCSOs with updates on concerns I’ve previously raised, while also guiding them through areas of the village they may be less familiar with.

“During our recent patrols, we covered locations including Brooklands Lane, the Saundersfoot Sports Field, and the woodland above the coastal path between Coppet Hall and Wisemans Bridge.

“These are areas where there had been a few minor incidents involving groups of youths. I’m pleased to report that there have been no further issues since.”

Cllr Williams pointed towards continued engagement with residents being vital to ensuring that any problems are identified and acted upon promptly.

He continued: “However, a broader concern impacting not only Saundersfoot but surrounding towns and villages as well, is retail crime, particularly shoplifting. I will be seeking updates from the local policing team on any recent developments in this area.

“On a positive note, I was encouraged to read that Welsh Chief Officer Amanda Blakeman, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, have announced a national ‘summer blitz’ on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

“This initiative will cover 500 towns across England and Wales. It was particularly heartening to see the Home Secretary endorse a partnership-based, information-sharing approach, something we have long advocated for in Saundersfoot.

“The plan includes targeted increases in police patrols, improved collaboration between retailers and law enforcement, and the use of facial recognition technology to deter and detect offenders.”

Shoppers and businesses will see increased police patrols to tackle town centre crime this summer Dyfed-Powys Police has stated, as part of a major blitz to make high streets safer.

The move will see more officers in several Mid and West Wales towns during peak times over the coming weeks.

The Home Secretary stated: “We want more retailers, more organisations, working together on schemes like this” - highlighting the importance of partnership in providing reassurance and safety within communities.

“Several local businesses affected by retail crime have read this announcement and asked what specific initiatives are being implemented in Saundersfoot,” continued Cllr Williams.

“I will now be raising this matter with the Chief Inspector to determine what measures, in line with this national strategy, we can expect locally.

“I remain committed to supporting our local businesses and residents, and I will continue to advocate for any initiative that helps reduce, prevent, and detect crime in our village,” he added.