Police to use taxpayers' money to buy clean UNDERWEAR for teenagers 'to stop them stealing it'
- Officers found link between theft of hygiene products and deprived teens
- Found many turned to stealing goods after being teased over cleanliness
- Now all will be issued with new pants and other sanitary goods for free
Police are to hand out free pants to teenagers in the hope of stopping them from nicking expensive toiletries instead.
The taxpayer funded initiative is being rolled out in Cambridgeshire after officers linked a spike in the theft of hygiene products to uncleanliness amongst young adults.
Investigating cops claim to have found struggling youngsters regularly trying to steal toiletries and sanitary items and pants after being taunted by their peers for being dirty.
Police are to hand out free pants to teenagers in the hope of stopping them from nicking expensive toiletries instead
Ely Police crime reduction officer Sue Loaker (left, at the initiative's launch) came up with the idea, now nicknamed 'Sue's Essentials'
They now hope that by providing the teens with clean underwear they will be fighting crime while combating local grime as the scheme aims to spare the blushes of deprived youths.
Crime reduction officer Sue Loaker came up with the idea, now nicknamed 'Sue's Essentials'.
She said: 'We recognise that unfortunately there are some people who are struggling to get regular access to toiletries, sanitary items, and underwear – items that very often most of us take for granted.
'A lack of access to the most basic of items not only causes discomfort but can also lead to embarrassment and bullying.
'This can cause low self-esteem and in the worst cases we have seen young people resorting to crime in order to try and get hold of these items.'
The innovative scheme is aiming to prevent the hygiene related bullying that can often lead to desperate teenagers shoplifting for everyday products.
The taxpayer funded initiative is being rolled out in Cambridgeshire (pictured, stock image) after officers linked a spike in the theft of hygiene products to uncleanliness amongst young adults
Care packages of toiletries and underwear will be given out to young people in need along with support and advice about healthy living and personal care.
Schools, GP surgeries, foodbanks and other easy to access community organisations will give out the packages which will be offered as a discreet service.
Chief Inspector Donna Wass said: 'We know that when times are hard financially, poverty can push people towards criminal behaviours in extreme cases.
'We want to do everything that we can to avoid criminalising people – particularly young people – in hardship, and this initiative from Sue is part of a compassionate response to that.'
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