Retail thefts in Cables Retail Park, Knowsley, have reduced by more than half in the month following the custodial sentencing of several individuals convicted of breaching the terms of their Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).
Reported retail thefts at the retail park fell by 67 percent compared to the 28 days prior to the sentencing of the three individuals, all of whom had previously received Criminal Behaviour Orders prohibiting them from returning to retail premises following previous theft convictions.
Criminal Behaviour Orders apply bespoke conditions to an individual based on the pattern of their offending and remain in force for a specified period. They are designed to act as a deterrent, stipulating that the individual will face a more significant sentence should the order be breached.
Between 11 February and 19 June 2026, Deborah Yates, 39, Rachel Lyon, 41, and Paul Thompson, 60, were all found to have breached the conditions of their Criminal Behaviour Orders and were subsequently jailed for a combined total of more than two years.
Merseyside Antisocial Behaviour Partnership Chair, Chief Superintendent Karl Baldwin, said there was a clear correlation between the reduction in offending and the effective use of Criminal Behaviour Orders.
“The reality of sentencing guidelines means it is incredibly rare for theft offences alone to result in a custodial sentence. However, the breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order is much more likely to result in a prison sentence, which is what has happened in these three instances.
“It is rare that we get to see the impact on an area so clearly, but the custodial sentencing of three individuals, all offending in one area in such quick succession, gives us a unique opportunity to assess the impact.
“A more than 50 percent reduction in offending can make a big difference not just to the retailers themselves, but also to the staff who have been dealing with this offending on an almost daily basis, the distress of which can often go unrecognised. A reduction like this in retail theft can make a significant difference to people’s quality of life.
“We want to see Criminal Behaviour Orders, and positive outcomes like this, implemented right across Merseyside. Nobody should have to go to work feeling frightened or distressed. In the last 12 months, we’ve increased the number of CBOs we’ve issued by almost a third, and I want that number to continue to rise, because the quality of life of people going to work every day rises along with it.”
Merseyside Police is continuing to encourage retail workers and business owners to report retail crime to help the force gather the evidence needed to meet the evidential threshold for obtaining Criminal Behaviour Orders against prolific offenders.
Work will continue to rigorously enforce the terms of all CBOs so that any breaches are identified and the subject is brought back before the courts.
Find out more about the work Merseyside Police is doing to prevent crimes against businesses.