A crime-fighting company which patrols areas of London is now mounting private prosecutions for minor offences including shoplifting and thefts, after claiming police have “given up” on taking offenders to court.
My Local Bobby, set up two years ago by former senior Yard officers, says it has been apprehending suspects on “overwhelming evidence”, only to see them set free when police arrive.
The company, which has 30 “Dixon of Dock Green-style” staff providing 24-hour patrols in central and north London neighbourhoods, has now launched its own prosecution unit to take cases directly to court.
But the National Police Chiefs’ Council said private firms “should not replace policing”.
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