Inside UK's first 'private police force' taking to the streets to tackle shoplifters
Private firm TM Eye are patrolling town centres and arresting and prosecuting prolific shoplifting offenders - Britain's first 'private police force' papering over Tory cuts
Shaun might seem like a police officer but he works for private company TM Eye, whose teams patrol town centres, arrest suspects and prosecute prolific offenders. The outfit’s 130 uniformed and plain-clothes officers are making streets safer amid a shoplifting epidemic that has left businesses struggling and retailers terrified, because there are not enough police resources dedicated to fighting shoplifting.
While the government has recruited 20,000 police officers since 2019, critics argue that a similar number were cut by Tory-led administrations since 2010. Founded by ex-Scotland Yard detective David McKelvey, TM Eye, which also deals with pickpocketing and muggings, has been dubbed the UK’s first private police force. Funded by councils and Business Improvement Districts, its Prolific Crimes Team has brought some 300 prosecutions in four years with a 100% conviction rate.
