Police in Ealing and across the UK are mounting a winter crackdown on shoplifting, street crime and anti-social behaviour in the run-up to Christmas.
The government-backed “Winter of Action” will increase police visibility in town centres, including Ealing’s seven towns, with councils, businesses and community groups taking part.
The operation builds on the “Safer Streets” summer initiative, which ran in Ealing town centre and in hundreds of other towns across the UK. The Home Office said the summer programme resulted in more than 16,000 arrests and fines, mainly linked to shop theft and anti-social behaviour. It added that targeted visible patrols were up by almost a fifth compared with the previous year, largely in town centres.
The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said: “Shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are tearing at the fabric of our communities.”
Ministers said the winter campaign would also target offending linked to the night-time economy and violence against women and girls, with extra patrols in nightlife hotspots and enforcement aimed at tackling illegal drink spiking over Christmas and New Year.
Retail groups and major chains backed the initiative, saying theft and abuse tend to rise around Christmas.
Paul Gerrard, the Co-op’s director of campaigns, public affairs and policy, said the retailer, which has eight branches across Ealing, welcomed the winter operation after reporting a decline in crime levels in its stores during 2025, but warned it should be “just the start”.
Mr Gerrard said: “Co-op is focussed on British high streets, and welcomes a nationwide crackdown on retail crime this winter, as we are confident the tide of criminality can be turned and have seen crime levels decline in the Co-op during 2025. But this must be just the start.
“We continue to invest significantly in wide-ranging safety and security measures, and we need police to continue to attend more often and Government to maintain the focus they have on the issue.”
In Ealing, the council said it will be working alongside police and local partners during the winter period.
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour remains one of the council’s absolute top priorities, and we are working tirelessly with our partners – including the police, local businesses, community safety groups and resident associations – to drive down offending and restore confidence across the borough this winter.
“There will be a significantly boosted and highly visible police presence across all seven towns, backed by robust council support through our extensive CCTV network, targeted patrols, and firm enforcement action. This coordinated approach is designed to protect shoppers, support our retail workers, and keep Christmas and New Year visitors safe.
“We have also renewed and strengthened our borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order, giving both police and council officers sharper, more decisive powers to deal with persistent anti-social behaviour swiftly and firmly.”
