POLICE and crime commissioner Ron Hogg got an insight into how second-hand shops combat criminal behaviour during a visit to Darlington.

Mr Hogg visited Cex, in the Queen’s Street shopping centre on Friday (December 6), to hear about the measures in place to reduce instances of people attempting to offload stolen goods.

Cex specialises in pre-owned computer games and DVDs and such stores can be a target for people who have shoplifted elsewhere and are looking for a quick profit.

Mr Hogg, the Durham and Darlington crime commissioner, said: “We are working closely with shops like Cex, under an initiative called Stop, to prevent people coming in and selling stolen goods.

“It is a good partnership between police and the retail sector.

“By this, we can detect crimes and deter people from stealing.”