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‘We need help’: Workers say shoplifting is ‘out of control’ after spike in reckless thefts | UK news

Online Niel November 20, 2024

A woman casually walks into a store and begins to fill a bread case with goods from one of the aisles.

A salesman tries to stop her, but she shrugs him off, undeterred. With the crate now full of items, she leaves without paying.

It’s a scenario playing out every day in the UK as retailers warn that the rise in shoplifting is now “out of control”.

I’m sitting in the security desk of a busy downtown store and I watch as a schoolboy walks in and serves himself a sandwich, stuffing it into his jacket.

Next to me is the worker Anton Mavroianu, who is standing near the main entrance waiting for the young man to leave.

When the boy leaves, Anton asks for the object back. Instead of being frozen in fear of being caught, the boy laughs and walks away.

“All we can do is try to stop them,” Anton tells me. “But this is just another day for us.”

A few weeks earlier, when Anton tried to stop a shoplifter, the man pulled out a knife and tried to attack him.

This terrifying incident is an example of the very real threat store workers face as they try to stem the tide of reckless theft.

Police-recorded theft offenses in England and Wales have risen to their highest level in 20 years.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) also reports that theft-related losses cost the retail sector millions every year, adding strain to an industry already struggling with post-pandemic recovery and economic uncertainty.

For small businesses that lack the resources of larger chains, persistent theft can threaten their very survival.

Ricky Dougall owns a chain of shops and says shoplifting cost his business around £100,000 last year.

“Storage is a huge problem and it is what is stopping us from growing the business.

“People come in and help themselves like they own the place and when you call the police, most of the time they don’t show up.”

Mr Dougall says part of the problem is how this type of crime is classified.

Sentencing guidelines for thefts under £200, so-called ‘low-level thefts’, were relaxed in 2016. This is to blame for the rise in cases.

An exclusive survey by Sky News and the Convenience Stores Association shows that 80% of retailers reported a retail crime within a week in October.

The survey also found that 94% of retailers say that, in their experience, shoplifting has worsened in the past year, with 83% not confident that the police will take action against perpetrators of retail crime at their premises.

Paul Cheema of the Association of Convenience Stores says retailers are looking to support the government.

“I’d say the officials don’t give a f*** about us retailers,” he tells me. “The losses are too high and I don’t think we can sustain this anymore.

“I would urge Keir Starmer to come and meet us and see first-hand the challenges we face.”

Retailers have responded by investing heavily in security measures, from advanced surveillance systems to hiring more security staff.

But these investments come at a cost, often passed on to consumers through higher prices.

I’m talking to Matt Roberts, the head of retail in the store I’m in. He’s worried about the shoplifting, but he’s more worried about the staff.

He says: “I’d imagine they dread coming to work because they’re always on edge, wondering if something’s going to happen today, if they’re going to have to try and confront someone.

“It’s a horrible feeling. It’s out of control and we need help.”

The government has recognized the urgency of the problem. Discussions led by the Home Secretary with retail associations and law enforcement are ongoing to develop a comprehensive strategy.

In the King’s Speech, the government outlined details of a crime and policing bill which promises to “introduce stronger measures to tackle low-level theft” as well as introducing a separate offense for assaulting a shop worker.