A former shoplifter from Dudley, Rhys Davies, who reportedly stole goods worth up to £1,000 daily to fund a drug addiction, has said his life has been transformed by the Offending 2 Recovery scheme. Mr Davies stated his issues with substance abuse began during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He is one of hundreds of people in the West Midlands who have benefited from the programme, which targets the causes of prolific offending, including drug and alcohol addiction. The scheme also offers stable housing support and tailored rehabilitation plans.
Dean Fraser, who was arrested in March, has been accessing support through the programme in Wolverhampton for over four months. He stated he had issues with alcohol and crack cocaine for three years and turned to shoplifting to pay debts and fund his addiction.
The Offending 2 Recovery programme, launched in Birmingham in 2018, has expanded to Coventry, Dudley, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, currently assisting over 200 people. There are plans for further expansion to Sandwell to cover the entire West Midlands Police area.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) office has contributed more than £500,000 to the scheme's costs over the past five years. Research by the PCC's office indicated that 70% of retail crime was carried out by individuals with addiction issues.