Christmas is the busiest time of year for most shopkeepers with millions of pounds being taken at the tills.

But it is also a jolly season for shoplifters who make full use of the crowds, tempting displays and temporary staff to filch goods.

This year, serial shoplifters may not be so lucky in Brighton as shopkeepers liaise with police in a bid to catch them.

There's already an effective radio network to trap persistent offenders and security cameras are also useful tools for police and private detectives.

Another move likely this Christmas is exclusion orders to ban some offenders from coming into the town centre.

Taking civil action against shoplifters, as well as criminal proceedings so that they are penalised twice, could also be a useful deterrent.

Many professional shoplifters have felt the odds have been stacked in their favour in recent years, which is why their numbers have multiplied.

That will not be the case any more in Brighton - which is good news for honest, decent shoppers because dishonest crooks make the rest of us have to pay more for our seasonal gifts.