A Surrey retailer burgled four times in two months has blamed the council’s decision to switch off street lights at night.

Thieves targeted the Bargain Booze Select Convenience shop in Hurst Green, Surrey again in the early hours of 19 December, once again targeting the tobacco section.

Store manager Richard Connolly said other shops in the local area are being targeted in the same way since Tandridge district council joined other Surrey wards in switching off its street lights.

The cost-cutting decision by the Tandridge District Council to turn off the lights between midnight and 5am was made in February 2017, and statistics show an after-dark crime wave followed in some areas.

Connolly told Retail Express: “We’ve never seen anything like it, within a ten mile radius we’ve seen 35-40 attempted shop break-ins in the last three months, and I’m still yet to see a police patrol in the area."

A freedom of information request by local resident John Lazenby shows showed crime between the hours of midnight and 5am was 40% higher than the same period of the previous year in Epsom & Ewell, 34% higher in Mole Valley and 37% higher in Reigate and Banstead.

In all the local areas listed the night time crime increases outpaced the general crime rate increases.

Surrey Country Council responded to crime concerns by referencing reports that stated there is no correlation between street lighting and crime. However, the College of Policing’s research shows that there is a strong reduction in burglary and theft related to improved street lighting.

85% of councils in the UK have now either dimmed or turned off street lights during certain hours.

Do it: Has reduced street lighting had an effect on your local area or shop? Let us know, email jack.courtez@newtrade.co.uk