In a swift response to a 999 call reporting a theft in progress, officers from the Wells Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) were deployed to the city centre area on October 6, 2023.

Within 10 minutes, they recovered over £700 worth of stolen items and took a suspect into custody.

This arrest comes as tensions have escalated in the Wells community following a series of thefts from local shops, some resulting in staff injuries.

Wells NPT is urging all shop workers only to challenge suspected shoplifters if it's safe to do so. "Your safety is the priority, and your health is worth more than stolen goods," emphasised a spokesperson from the team.

In an effort to curb the rising incidents, Wells NPT has increased patrols both inside and outside local shops.

They are also distributing an NPT contact list to provide additional support to retailers.

The police team advises that in the event of an incident, locals should call 999 immediately due to the current elevated risks. For further advice and guidance, you can contact Wells NPT via 101 or email [email protected].