POLICE are warning that shoplifting is not the answer to financial difficulty as part of its new campaign to combat the crime.
From May 2014 to April 2015, officers dealt with 1,550 offences in Barnsley. In one month alone, 179 offences were recorded.
The force is using the 'Not the Answer' campaign to highlight that shoplifting could result in a prison sentence.
Chief Inspector Gwyn Thomas said: "I would urge people to think very carefully about the many other ways in which support can be given rather than resorting to crime."
The campaign will work with partner agencies to support both businesses and people affected by shoplifting, whether they are offenders themselves or people at risk of offending.
