In a bold first for UK law enforcement, Sussex Police have named two serial shoplifters who are the inaugural offenders to be fitted with real-time location-monitoring tags under a new crackdown on retail crime.
Police name first shoplifters to wear electronic tag
Barry Farthing, 41, and Victoria Hale, 50, are now required to wear the tags for 12 months, as authorities take decisive action to deter habitual theft. Both are banned from entering designated areas near supermarkets across East Sussex as part of strict new orders.
In a bid to clamp down on rising shoplifting cases, police are now watching offenders in real time, tracking their movements and cracking down on repeat thefts. It’s a bold new tactic, one that’s already showing results.
Sussex Police are the first force in the country to introduce electronic location tags specifically for prolific shoplifters. This marks a major shift in strategy as police target repeat offenders with precision tools to monitor movements and ensure compliance.
The move comes amid wider reforms announced by the Ministry of Justice. In September, the department unveiled plans to tag up to 22,000 additional offenders and defendants each year, marking the largest expansion of electronic monitoring since the introduction of curfew tags back in 1999.
The newly introduced tags do more than track; they act as deterrents, with real-time monitoring enabling swift intervention if boundaries are breached or the device is tampered with.
Chief Superintendent Katy Woolford emphasised the impact of shoplifting on communities and businesses: “Shoplifting has an enormous impact on businesses and the wider community.
We will use all of the tools at our disposal to support businesses and ensure that prolific offenders are brought to justice.
In Sussex, we are leading the way with this innovative scheme to tackle repeat offenders, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to protect our business community.”
The programme part of Operation STOP (Shop Theft Offender Project) is being rolled out as a pilot scheme in Sussex, with the aim of delivering real-world results. And it already has.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne echoed the force’s confidence in the initiative: “For the first time ever, Operation STOP is taking direct aim at prolific shoplifters using electronic tags to deter repeat offending.
I am delighted to see our Sussex pilot project already delivering real results, successful court outcomes that actively tackle repeat shop theft and help to protect local businesses.”
Who Are the First to Be Tagged?
Victoria Hale, from Eastbourne, made history as the first person in the UK to be fitted with a Buddi location tag following a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order.
Her tag prohibits her from coming within 30 metres of the Co-Op store on Albert Road, Eastbourne. She had pleaded guilty to 12 shoplifting charges.
Barry Farthing was jailed for eight months and handed a Criminal Behaviour Order, alongside the location-monitoring tag, after going on a six-week shoplifting spree targeting supermarkets between 18 August and 30 September.
He had already been investigated for a staggering 76 prior shoplifting-related offences earlier this year.
In total, Farthing was charged with 46 counts of theft from shops before being remanded in custody. He will also wear the tag for a 12-month period.
What This Means for the Future
Retail crime has been rising sharply across the UK, with many businesses calling for tougher penalties and greater police intervention. Sussex’s move to electronic tagging may set a precedent for forces nationwide.
With the ability to monitor offenders round-the-clock, and clear consequences for violating court-imposed restrictions, police believe this method offers a real solution to an escalating problem.
It’s a new age of enforcement, and the message is clear: repeat offenders won’t walk away unnoticed.
