Public Meeting In Ryde To Address Shoplifting And Community Safety
- Adam Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
A major public meeting will be held in Ryde this month to address concerns around shoplifting, police visibility, CCTV and community safety.
Hosted by Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Donna Jones, and Joe Robertson MP, Member of Parliament for Isle of Wight East, the event takes place on Thursday 17 July, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at Yelf’s Hotel, Ryde.
The meeting aims to give residents and business owners in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor the chance to raise concerns directly with senior policing leaders, and to learn about efforts being made to combat crime and antisocial behaviour in Ryde and the surrounding areas.
Key topics will include:
Shoplifting and repeat offending
Police visibility and local patrols
CCTV coverage in town centres
Retail crime prevention initiatives
UKPAC – Police-backed scheme for safer shops
A key feature of the evening will be a presentation on UKPAC (UK Partners Against Crime); a new initiative funded by PCC Donna Jones, specifically designed to tackle retail crime.
UKPAC enables businesses to:
Report incidents quickly using a secure, online platform – no need to call 101.
Spot patterns of criminal behaviour and identify repeat offenders. Your reports help build stronger evidence for police and faster action in court.
Feed into an independent crime intelligence hub used by police across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight to track offenders who target multiple towns.
Gather better evidence for effective prosecutions.
The scheme is already delivering results across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, helping to deter offenders, speed up police response times, and reduce the burden on retailers.
Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
“Criminals must not be allowed to target our high streets. I’ve made tackling retail crime a key priority, with funding committed to support businesses through UKPAC and visible patrols. This meeting is about listening to local concerns and showing residents and shop owners that they are being heard and supported.”
Joe Robertson MP added:
“Shoplifting and antisocial behaviour are having an impact on local businesses in Ryde and other towns like Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor. This meeting is an opportunity to bring the community together, hear from the police, and strengthen our collective response to crime.”
Businesses will be able to sign up to UKPAC at the event.
Event Details:
🗓 Thursday 17 July 2025
🕔 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Yelf’s Hotel, 54 Union Street, Ryde, PO33 2LG