Theft from Shops (Use of Penalty Notices for Disorder) Bill

A Bill to restrict the use of penalty notices for disorder in respect of the offence of theft from retail and commercial premises; to revise sentencing guidelines in respect of this offence; to make provision for the recording on a national database of penalty notices for disorder issued; and for connected purposes.

The Bill would restrict the circumstances in which penalty notices for disorder could be issued in respect of shop theft offences. It would require:

• the Secretary of State to publish police guidance stating that penalty notices for disorder could only be issued for minor shop theft offences where the offender was over 16 years old with no previous criminal convictions
• the consent of the shop manager before an offender could be dealt with by penalty notice
• the Sentencing Guidelines Council to consider proposals that persistent offenders and those causing significant criminal damage whilst committing shop theft offences should be liable to a fine or a community sentence, rather than a penalty notice
• the police to record all penalty notices issued in respect of such offences on a central database, setting out details such as the name, age and address of the offender and the value of goods stolen.