KINGSTON'S new town centre police team have helped catch a violent shoplifter and a man carrying 54 wraps of Class A drugs in just their second week of patrols.

The team made up of 25 officers led by Inspector Paul James were introduced to the public last week and started work on 29 November.

Since then they have already made an impact, assisting with the arrest of a violent shoplifter and the discovery of Class A drugs on a second shoplifter in Kingston town centre.

The incidents happened on 9 December, just after a photo of the new group on Kingston riverside was taken.

Officers with the team were on their way back to the station when they were called to a shop nearby, from which a male shoplifter had fled after allegedly assaulting two members of staff and trying to shoplift.

The town centre cops collected evidence while Kingston borough's Emergency Response Team found and arrested the suspect.

A man has since been charged for shoplifting and assault, Kingston police confirmed.

Another shop then called in the officers to help deal with a shoplifter who was then arrested and searched in custody, with 54 Class A drug wraps discovered.

He has been charged with shoplifting and possession of Class A drugs, and remanded to court.

Inspector Paul James said: "We are increasing our police presence, putting officers where we know the public want to see them most where they can help stop crime and deal with anti-social behaviour.

"I'm eager that Kingston regularly see and get to know their local officers, so that they have trust and confidence in them.

"As well as our priorities of violence and anti-social behaviour we know that the local community is concerned about the issue of begging in the area. We are actively dealing with this issue.

"We'll be working with our partners to make sure these individuals are supported and safeguarded.

"We've worked closely with Kingston council to put this team in place, and our decision to implement this has been based on data and intelligence that highlights the areas where there is the most policing demand, areas with higher crime levels or where confidence in police is low."