Police are urging city centre retailers to close the door on known shoplifters by banning them from their premises.

Inspector Steve Baker, pictured right, of the Bradford South force is planning to launch a crackdown on opportunistic criminals in the city centre as part of the Telegraph & Argus Buy it in Bradford campaign.

And he wants members of City Centre Crimebeat to play their part by banning shop-lifters from stores.

The City Centre Crimebeat is an organisation comprising of police, community support officers, wardens, retailers and security guards who all work in Bradford city centre.

The group meets once a month to discuss ways of combating city centre crime.

Insp Baker wants to be able to name and shame convicted shoplifters through the T&A and spread information about their identity to retailers to prevent them entering any store within the city. The campaign is part of a drive to make Bradford City centre a safer and more pleasant place to shop.

Last month, the T&A launched its Buy it in Bradford campaign which has been backed by both Bradford Council and the police.

City centre crime has fallen by 30 per cent in the last two years but Insp Baker wants to drive it down further.

Police can prevent prolific shoplifters from entering the city as the condition of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).

However Linton Patz, Bradford South ASBO co-ordinator, told a Crimebeat meeting yesterday that the police needed to build up evidence that the criminal was a persistent offender before they can apply for an ASBO.

Insp Baker hopes a scheme to bar shoplifters from the city centre will work alongside ASBOs to cut city centre crime.

And he is now planning to hold discussions with West Yorkshire Police's legal team to see if he can launch a naming and shaming initiative.

The idea has been welcomed by Mirko Maric, the head of Kirkgate Shopping Centre's security.

There were 57 shoplifting incidents in the city centre during February, compared with 79 for the same period last year.

Insp Baker also wants more shops to employ uniformed security staff to deter shoplifters.

He said: "One reformed drug dealer said he wasn't bothered about being caught on camera he was only worried about being caught there and then because that would stop him getting his next fix."