New policing bill to tackle antisocial behaviour and street crime

The UK government has unveiled a major legislative package aimed at tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, with the Crime and Policing Bill set to be introduced in Parliament today.

The bill is a key part of the UK government’s Plan for Change and Safer Streets mission, strengthening police powers to address street crime, retail theft, knife crime, and violence against women and girls.

One of the most significant changes is a new power allowing police to search premises without a warrant when stolen items have been electronically geolocated.

This will enable officers to act swiftly in recovering stolen mobile phones and other possessions by using tracking technology such as ‘find my phone’ apps and Bluetooth signals.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For the last few years, our towns and cities have seen street theft shoot up, as organised gangs have been targeting mobile phones. But it is extremely frustrating for victims when they can see exactly where their stolen phone has gone but nothing is done. That is why we are determined to give the police the powers they need to move fast to crack down on these crimes that are blighting our communities.”

The bill will also remove the existing threshold that classifies shoplifting under £200 as a minor offence, ensuring all incidents are taken seriously.

Retail workers will receive greater legal protections against assault, while new Respect Orders will allow police to ban repeat antisocial behaviour offenders from town centres.

To further enhance public safety, the bill introduces tougher measures against knife crime, including a new offence of possessing a blade with intent to cause harm and increased penalties for selling dangerous weapons to under-18s.

It will also address the growing issue of spiking, making it a specific criminal offence for the first time.

There is a strong focus on child protection, with the introduction of a legal duty to report child sexual abuse.

Other measures include criminalising the use of artificial intelligence to create child abuse material and banning sex offenders from changing their names to evade detection.

To support the new powers, the government has committed to recruiting 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing officers, ensuring every community has a named officer to tackle local crime.

Retail and community organisations have welcomed the bill, with James Lowman, Chief Executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, stating: “We strongly welcome the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill, which we hope will send a clear message that shop theft and assaults on retailers will be taken seriously by both the police and the justice system.”

The bill also includes measures to protect public order, tackle serious economic crime, and reform police misconduct processes.

Additional provisions, such as Ronan’s Law restricting the online sale of knives and new anonymity protections for firearms officers, will be introduced later in the legislative process.

The Crime and Policing Bill is expected to face parliamentary scrutiny in the coming months before becoming law.