Life changing scheme rolls out across the West Midlands

Dear Resident, 

A new scheme to stop crime and save lives is being rolled out across the West Midlands. Offending 2 Recovery aims to stop crime, end addiction and transform lives.

Its focus is on drug users who fund their addiction by stealing from shops. It is one of the key elements in our work to make town centres safer this summer and beyond.

Each scheme is led by a highly experienced police officer who specialises in rehabilitating offenders. They are supported by an addiction professional who can access effective withdrawal treatments such a Buvidal – a monthly injection - not widely available in every area.

It is backed by some the biggest businesses in Britain including Next, TK Maxx and B&Q, with top executives of the Co-Op describing the scheme as “unique”.

Offending to Recovery is not an alternative to arrest and criminal action. It can - and often does - run alongside regular enforcement like the court system, fines and bans. Taking part in the scheme is entirely voluntary but far from easy, with many describing the process as the hardest thing they’ve ever done in their lives.

Those who take part are required to undertake intensive therapy, withdraw from drugs and even face staff from the shops they stole from. Many also provide businesses with security advice with some even going on to gain employment in the stores they stole from. The programme provides structure and stability for people with chaotic lives. 

Experiences of serious neglect and abuse, unemployment or the death of a loved ones are common triggers for addiction and offending, but none of those taking part see it as an excuse for their past behaviours, for which they take full responsibility.

With her dad in jail, Keeley was raised by her grandparents. She was just 13 when she started using drugs after meeting a 21-year-old man who she thought was “amazing”. She quickly turned to shop theft to fund her addiction.

Over 29 years, she believes that she has stolen millions of pounds worth of clothing and served around 30 prison sentences. She entered into the offending to recovery program thanks to a security guard at Birmingham’s TK Maxx store.

The guard knew about the scheme, and as they waited for the police to come and arrest her after another shoplifting spree, the pair spoke about getting help so that she could reconnect with her long-lost family. 

Watch Keeley here: Life changing scheme rolls out across the West Midlands (youtube.com)

Offending to Recovery was developed in Birmingham back in 2018 by PC Stuart Toogood. The experienced officer was sick and tired of arresting the same people again and again only for them to go to prison, get released, and reoffend as soon as they came out because their addiction to drugs and the issues which caused that, had never been tackled. 

Stuart knew there had to be a better way so he worked with the specialist charities and businesses on his Erdington beat to develop the program. 

Last year we arrested 600 more suspects of shop thefts than the year before. The number of repeat suspects has also increased from around 700 in 2022 to 1,500 in 2024.

Visit the Offending to Recovery pages of our website to get in touch with the team: Offending 2 Recovery | West Midlands Police

Safer Streets Summer is an initiative is running from 30 June until the end of September 2025, across the West Midlands. It sees West Midlands Police, councils and others, focus on reducing town centre criminality, shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour across the UK.