Norfolk's police and crime panel has voted to formally commend the Constabulary after a significant improvement in shoplifting detections over the past 12 months, crediting partnership working with national retailers and business improvement districts.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sarah Taylor highlighted the Constabulary's strong detection rate and said lessons from the retail crime strategy could be applied more widely across Norfolk. She praised officers' professionalism despite what she described as wider pressures on the criminal justice system.

One panel member asked whether recruiting more magistrates could help progress retail crime cases faster and secure Criminal Behaviour Orders against repeat offenders. The PCC welcomed any measures that improved the capacity of the justice system, but cautioned that a new cohort of magistrates alone would be unlikely to deliver significant improvements given broader systemic challenges.

The panel also noted a potential emerging concern: a possible link between rising fuel prices and an increase in motorists driving away from petrol stations without paying. The issue will be kept under review.

Separately, members raised questions about whether the criminal justice system has enough capacity to deal with cases promptly, with pressures including the ongoing sentencing review and the early release of prisoners noted as factors affecting policing across Norfolk.