Offences and arrests for shoplifting from January to November 2022
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.027259
I note you seek access to the following information:
I would like to know the number of reports of shoplifting on your patch each month between 01/01/2022 up until the most recent date for which records exist.
Additionally, I would like to know how many arrests were made each month.
In the most recent 10 cases, I would like to know the name of the shop where the report was made.
Decision
Having located and considered the relevant information. I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some information has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Partial Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemption:
Section 40(2)(3)&(4) - Personal information
Reason for decision
When a request is made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), a public authority must inform you, when permitted, whether the information requested is held. It must then communicate that information to you. If a public authority decides that it is cannot comply with all or part of a request, it must cite the appropriate section or exemption of the Act and provide you with a suitable explanation. It is important to note that the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received. This is best demonstrated by the FOI disclosures on the Disclosure Log section of the MPS website:
I have considered your request for information relating to your question:
- In the most recent 10 cases, I would like to know the name of the shop where the report was made.
You have requested the names of the shops mentioned in the most recent 10 Cases, recorded by the MPS. This level of information is not suitable for public consumption. Should the MPS publish the requested data as specified within the scope of your request, by naming these businesses, they risk becoming a target for more thefts.
Disclosure
In response to your request:
- The number of reports of Shoplifting.
- The number of Shoplifting Arrests.
Broken down by months, between 1 January 2022, until the most recent date for which records exist.
I have disclosed the following information.
Please find attached information pursuant to your request above.