Winter of action to focus on keeping Luton safe over festive season

Bedfordshire Police will step up patrols in Luton’s town centre throughout this month and January as part of a Winter of Action aimed at tackling the seasonal rise in crime and anti social behaviour.

The move follows what the force described as a highly successful Safer Streets operation over the summer, which saw big drops in shoplifting and street crime across the county.

The new push comes as the town prepares for its busiest period of the year, with thousands of people expected to visit for Christmas shopping, nights out and other festive events. Police say darker evenings often leave residents feeling less safe, making visible patrols even more important.

Chief Superintendent Jaki Whittred said the force’s previous operation had “delivered outstanding results” with 385 arrests and sharp reductions in retail crime, street offences and anti social behaviour. She said officers also spoke to businesses and residents more than 8,000 times over the summer, adding that this kind of engagement is “part of our everyday neighbourhood policing”.

She added: “We know that people often feel less safe during the darker nights, so our Winter of Action will build on this success by tackling crime associated with the festive period and ensuring our communities feel protected and supported.”

The initiative will run across daytime hours and the nighttime economy, with a particular focus on retail crime, street robberies, knife incidents and efforts to protect women and children. Enforcement teams from Luton Council will join police on the streets, working alongside anti social behaviour officers, trading standards staff and other services.

Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard said he was “really pleased” to see police, councils and retailers working together again, describing the joint approach as crucial to keeping town centres safe through winter.

Although the campaign will target the busiest areas including Luton, the force says neighbourhoods across the borough will continue to receive focused and effective policing.