by Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

Shoplifters planning to steal goods from Maidstone in the run-up to Christmas are being advised to think again.

Maidstone town centre policing team’s special weapon in the fight against crime is top performing cop PC Des Dalzell who, from November 2010 to November 2011, arrested 172 people, many for town centre shoplifting offences. The previous year was similarly impressive, with PC Dalzell taking 230 suspects into custody.

PC Dalzell, who has been on the force for 15 years, is a familiar face around the town and has briefed traders on tactics used by shoplifters so they can be on the lookout.

As the Christmas shopping season gets into full swing, would-be shoplifters are being warned that there is a good chance they will be caught.

PC Dalzell said: "It’s very much a team effort and the town centre team is made up of some very good officers. We all take pride in our "beat" and get a lot of support from the local community and businesses in the town centre. There was a case recently where a man had his mobile phone stolen from his van and the offender was intending to sell it at a second hand store.

"Through a combination of the CCTV operators, the local traders and ourselves we were able to arrest the man, charge him and return the phone to the victim and the courts dealt with the offender. We want law-abiding people who visit Maidstone to feel safe, and equally we want those who come here intending to commit crime to feel scared."

Insp Dave Coleman, who leads the town centre policing team, said: "PC Dalzell is an extremely proactive officer. He is a familiar face to many shoppers in Maidstone and we are lucky to have him on the team.

"Maidstone has become an extremely popular place to visit. As well as the uniformed officers that the public see, we also have plain clothes officers across the town centre conducting proactive operations and working with local businesses to target specific crimes such as mobile phone thefts."