Mayor Jason Perry urges Sadiq Khan: “Tag repeat shoplifters in Croydon – zero tolerance for retail crime.”
Croydon’s Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, has written to the Mayor of London calling for GPS ankle tagging to be used on persistent shoplifters in Croydon - creating exclusion zones around retail centres, deterring repeat offending, and enabling fast recall for breaches.
The proposal builds on long-standing cross-party precedent: GPS tagging for prolific offenders was first piloted in London in 2016 and has since been expanded under Sir Sadiq Khan for knife crime, domestic abuse and stalking offenders.
New evidence strengthens the case for applying this technology to shop theft:
Sussex Police are the first force to tag convicted prolific shoplifters, enforcing 40-metre exclusion zones around targeted stores. Early results indicate strong deterrence and faster enforcement.
A Ministry of Justice / Metropolitan Police pilot for high-harm acquisitive criminals (burglary, robbery, serious theft) reported a 20% reduction in reoffending, achieved through GPS mapping of offender movements against unsolved crime locations.
National data shows that a small group of prolific shoplifters is responsible for a disproportionate share of retail crime - often targeting the same stores repeatedly.
London cases such as Mark Stavrou, responsible for over £16,000 in thefts earlier this year, underline the strain on policing and the need for targeted tools.
Mayor Jason Perry said:
“This is simple: stand with shopkeepers and hardworking residents - and get tough on repeat thieves. GPS tagging works. City Hall already uses it for other offences. Let’s apply it to the small group relentlessly raiding our stores.
I’ve asked Sadiq Khan to make Croydon the first London pilot for GPS tags on persistent shoplifters. Exclusion zones, live monitoring and fast recall would give Police and probation a practical, proven tool to stop repeat offending. This is zero-tolerance in action.”
Under the proposal, tagged offenders would be monitored by Probation and the Met, with real-time alerts for breaches. GPS data could also assist investigations by identifying patterns of offending and locations where stolen goods are being sold on.
The pilot could mirror existing London GPS schemes and the Sussex shoplifting model, with clear evaluation metrics including reoffending rates, enforcement outcomes and retailer confidence.
Mayor Jason Perry added:
“This is not about headlines - it’s about results. The evidence shows tagging cuts reoffending by around 20% for prolific acquisitive criminals. For high streets hit hardest by a small number of repeat offenders, that would make a real difference.
Croydon’s high streets are fighting back, and this pilot would help protect staff, deter repeat offenders and restore pride in our retail centres.”
You can read Mayor Perry's request of Mayor Khan here:
Mayor Sadiq Khan
London City Hall
Kamal Chunchie Way
London E16 1ZE
24th November 2025
Subject: Request to pilot GPS ankle tagging for persistent shoplifters in Croydon
Dear Sadiq,
I’m writing to ask that Croydon be the first London borough to pilot GPS ankle tagging for persistent shoplifters, using Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) with enforceable exclusion zones around our town and district centres.
This is a cross-party, common-sense step. Your predecessor introduced GPS tagging in 2016 for prolific offenders. Under your mayoralty, City Hall has expanded tagging for repeat knife offenders, domestic abusers and stalking cases – reflecting clear evidence that tags reduce reoffending, protect victims, and enable rapid enforcement when conditions are breached.
Recent evidence strengthens the case for applying the same approach to persistent shop theft:
Sussex Police are the first in the country to fit GPS tags to convicted prolific shoplifters, enforcing 40-metre exclusion zones around targeted stores. Their early results show a strong deterrent effect, swifter enforcement and improved confidence among retailers.
In London, acquisitive-crime tagging trials since 2021 - covering prolific burglars, robbers and high-harm theft offenders - reported a 20% reduction in reoffending, monitored by mapping offenders’ movements against unsolved offences. This joint Ministry of Justice / Met Police pilot demonstrates that GPS data enables precise disruption of the small cohort driving repeat crime.
National benchmarking shows that a small minority of offenders are responsible for the majority of retail crime, with prolific shoplifters routinely targeting the same premises due to predictable security arrangements and proximity.
Serious cases such as Mark Stavrou, one of London’s most prolific shoplifters (over £16,000 stolen from multiple stores in 2025), underline the pressure this places on Police, probation and businesses.
Croydon’s high streets are being repeatedly targeted by the same individuals who treat fines like a business cost. As a local business owner I hear directly from retailers - independents and nationals - who are asking for visible, practical help. Tagging is a proportionate tool to disrupt offending patterns and protect local shops.
I’m asking you to work with us, the Met and the London Probation Service to launch a Croydon pilot with the following features:
Eligibility: repeat shoplifting offenders (charge/conviction history), assessed through Probation/MoJ criteria.
Conditions: GPS tag with exclusion zones covering Croydon town centre and relevant district centres; tailored to the offender’s pattern of behaviour.
Monitoring & enforcement: live alerts to the Met and probation on breaches, with a fast recall pathway. GPS mapping could also help identify fencing locations and link offenders to other acquisitive crime.
Safeguards & proportionality: governance, legal thresholds and oversight aligned with existing London GPS schemes.
Evaluation: reoffending rates, breach/recall data, retail impact, confidence levels among businesses and residents; published for transparency.
Introducing CBO-mandated GPS tagging for prolific shoplifters is a tool not yet deployed in the capital, despite strong evidence that tagging repeat acquisitive offenders can cut reoffending by around 20%. Even where crime displacement is a risk in a larger commercial area like London, disruption itself deters offending - and exclusion zones clearly protect the premises hit hardest.
This is about fairness and results. It’s also about continuity, not politics: successive Mayors have expanded GPS tagging where evidence shows it works. Croydon is ready to be the test-bed for a London solution to repeat shop theft.
My team is ready to meet your officers immediately to scope the pilot and timescales. If we act quickly, we can protect retailers, support the Police and probation, and deliver a model that benefits high streets across London.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Jason Perry
Executive Mayor of Croydon
