A police operation to combat a rise in festive shoplifting has seen early success with number of people being convicted.

Four people have been caught and sentenced as part of Operation Vespa, an initiative run by officers in Copeland.

Officers are working with victims of thefts to bring any offenders to justice and will look to apply to the courts for a Criminal Behaviour Order which bans people from entering certain shops in an area.

Proactively, the "Copeland Hub" has been working alongside partner agencies, including local businesses and through schemes like Shopwatch and Pubwatch they then ensure the correct individuals are targeted and dealt with.

Police will also be deploying patrols of both in uniform and plain clothes officers to deter and prevent more offences taking place.

Sergeant Nick Oliver said: "This operation has been designed to tackle the problem head on and prevent this type of crime from happening. Shoplifting affects businesses in a big way and it will not be tolerated by police."

Sergeant Mandy Conway said: “We are very fortunate in the hub where we have the ability to work closely with partner agencies including local businesses, the Crown Prosecution Service and dedicated officers to ensure we have agreed strategies in place to utilise resources most effectively.

“Without the assistance of our partner agencies this would not be possible and I would like to thank them all for their support up to date.

“This really is a team effort which has provided some fantastic results and we are very proud of the work we are progressing together.”

So far four men have been convicted for offences committed and investigated by Operation Vespa. All four have been issued with Criminal Behaviour orders. They are:

· Darrell Devlin, 29, from Whitehaven, was issued with a two year order which bans him from entering any retail premises in Whitehaven, Workington or Cockermouth who are members of their relevant Shopwatch exclusion scheme. He is also not allowed open containers of alcohol in a public place.

· Christopher Gunn, 30, from Cleator Moor, was issued with a two year order with the same restrictions as Devlin.

· Lawrence Wilson, 28, from Whitehaven, is currently serving a 150-day prison sentence.

He has also been issued with a three year order which bans him from entering any retail premises in Carlisle, Whitehaven or Workington who are members of their relevant Shopwatch exclusion scheme.

He must also not enter any Tesco supermarkets in Carlisle, Workington and Whitehaven, Morrisons supermarkets in Workington or Whitehaven or the boundaries of Derwent Howe Industrial Estate between Derwent Drive/Bessemer Way and Havelock Road, Workington. He must also not enter Workington or Whitehaven town centres.

· Paul Carr, 24, from Whitehaven, was found guilty of shoplifting and is currently serving a 70-day prison sentence. He has also been issued with a five year order which bans him from entering any property or premises in Whitehaven who are members of their relevant Shopwatch exclusion scheme.

He must also not enter Morrisons in Whitehaven, Tesco in Whitehaven or Wilko in Whitehaven. He's also not allowed to consume alcohol or illegal substances in any public toilets in Whitehaven.

Sergeant Conway added: “This is a great result for local businesses and the community.

"Thieves should be aware that if they are convicted of stealing from shops then there images will be released to the public and circulated among Shopwatch members.

"Shoplifting is a crime which impacts on the whole community as each theft is a loss which retailers must account for and this could result in price increases or even job losses.

“We will continue to do everything possible to identify those involved and put them before the courts. It is our aim to deal with prolific thieves and prevent them from re-offending."