A BACKLASH has begun over a controversial decision not to ban shoplifters from Poole town centre.

Exclusion notices, which banned thieves from premises in the Dolphin Centre and Falkland Square, are being scrapped as part of a re-launch of the Poole Against Retail Crime (PARC) initiative.

Retailers say they have been stunned by the move, claiming that the move is unpopular with the shops.

A member of security staff at a major store in the town centre, who asked not be named, said: “This scheme (PARC) used to be one of the best in the whole country for deterring shoplifters and trouble-makers.

“It has now become one of the worst in the country.”

Greg Buxton, manager of the PARC scheme, told the Daily Echo there were still “robust” measures in place to protect retailers, and that stores still had the power to ban offenders themselves.

However, only major retailers have the resources to enforce their own bans, said the Echo’s source.

He also praised the effectiveness of the security initiatives in Bournemouth and Boscombe, of which exclusion notices are still a core deterrent.

A ban from one shop means a blanket ban from all the other 60 stores belonging to the Bournemouth Businesses Reducing Crime (BBRC) scheme in the town centre.

Kevin Strudwick, business crime operation manager for BBRC, said: “We are surprised at the move in Poole, especially given the current climate where shoplifting is only going to rise.

“When I look at our scheme, it seems to me a very good one.

“We are growing all the time and offer a lifeline to retailers.”

The reasons for the suspension of bans in Poole remains unclear, though Dolphin Centre management and police had “expressed concerns” about the way exclusions were dished out and enforced.