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Security staff at 30 major stores have been issued with pictures of 36-year-old Ian Beck who was sentenced to four months in jail after being arrested twice within days over Christmas.

Under the scheme, anyone convicted of theft from one store will be banned from all other stores taking part including Boots, Lewis', Debenhams and Kendals.

The Retail Crime Operation involves security staff working with closed-circuit television and two-way radios to alert colleagues should they spot a known thief.

Police warn the banishing orders will be used against other persistent offenders caught in the act in the city centre.

In six months last year there were 746 separate incidents resulting in 158 arrests in the city centre including mugging, criminal damage, drug dealing, fighting, robbery and theft from shops.

Spy cameras costing ?250,000, including ?100,000 from the Home Office, were installed in the city centre more than a year ago and more cash will be spent to meet a target of 100 cameras.

Cllr Pat Karney

He said: "This has the support of the Home Secretary, Greater Manchester Police, businesses in the city centre and the majority of the public.

"Manchester is taking a national lead in turning the tables against criminals by intelligently using public information from the courts.

"We have had to spend thousands of pounds of scarce public money to catch these people.

"The more these criminals know they are being watched and monitored and publicised, the less the situation will deteriorate."