Police Warn of Return of Prolific High Road Shoplifters
Serial offenders spotted back in the area on CCTV
Shoplifting offences on Chiswick High Road have been falling
September 7, 2025
The police have issued a warning about shoplifting on Chiswick High Road area after people they believe to have been prolific offenders were spotted back in the area .
In a message released through the Met Engage system, PC Alex Howard said, “I know this is an issue that hasn't wholly gone away, however we did make inroads from deterring and serving criminal proceedings on a number of high offending individuals.
“It appears from recent reports and CCTV enquires that these individuals have made their way back to the High Road after a considerable time away. We are dealing with this issue and will be arresting the individuals for breaching conditions, however as always we need the support of our community to truly tackle the issue.”
The team has already been successful in obtaining a Criminal Behaviour order for one serial shoplifter, Davinder Johal. Ealing Magistrates' Court granted the order this Friday (5 September) which means he is not allowed in town centres across the borough including Chiswick for the next ten years unless attending pre-booked probation/medical appointments confirmed in writing.
Additionally, he must not wear a balaclava or face covering while entering a shop anywhere in the country or enter any premises from which he has formerly been banned. He is also deemed to be in breach of the order if he is found in possession of any bag or carry-all containing retail goods values over £10 that
are in their original packaging without a receipt and he must not associate with Wayne Smith or be found in possession of any drug paraphernalia.
PC Davies from the ASB team said, “This is a very strong order and I will continue to target the most prolific offenders causing harassment, alarm and distress to the residents of Hounslow. If you have any concerns regarding ASB please get in touch with your local ward team and I will support them in tackling this priority”.
In addition, the police say that a prolific female shoplifter who was wanted on recall to prison was recently spotted, arrested and returned to jail.
The local police team says that the more information officers have about the locations where stolen goods are being sold, the more effective they believe they can be in reducing theft from local retailers.
The available data shows that after a spike in shoplifting last July in Chiswick Gunnersbury ward, which covers the larger part of the High Road, reported offences had been trending down until the end of the first quarter of this calendar year when they were below the historic average. However, from April to July (the latest month for which figures are available) the number of reports has risen although they remain well below the levels last year. For example there were 25 cases in July 2025 versus 38 in July 2024.
Some Chiswick shops have adopted a locked door policy to tackle theft
The police’s current strategy is to focus on the outlets for goods that have been stolen and they are particularly asking residents to call them if they see suspicious activity or people selling items on the street for quick cash sales.
PC Howard says, “It falls under the charge of handing stolen goods and is a crime that we would like to nip in the bud. With persistent individuals having an easy place to offload items it causes a major spike in shoplifting.”
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