That’s under new proposals being explored by Croydon Council.
Authority bosses have met with Sussex Police which was the first area in the UK to successfully pilot GPS ankle tag technology in this way.
Funding and enforcement of the proposed project is still being explored.
There have been 4,796 reported shop thefts in the town centre over the last 12 months which is down 4.9% on last year.
Benedict Selvaratnam, co-founder of Croydon Business Association, said: “Shoplifting has a significant impact on businesses, particularly retailers. It is not simply the financial value of the goods being stolen. There is also the cost of additional security, and the pressure it puts on staff, and morale. Persistent offenders make staff feel unsafe at work, and many businesses feel frustrated when the same individuals return repeatedly.
“I would support tougher and more effective action against persistent offenders, including the appropriate use of GPS tagging. Where individuals repeatedly target shops and businesses, there needs to be a meaningful deterrent and a way of preventing that cycle from simply continuing.
“From my experience both as a retailer and through the Croydon Business Association, businesses want to see a system where persistent shoplifting has real consequences, while of course ensuring measures are proportionate and properly managed.”
