Shoplifting scourge: Retail staff deserve action on a crime that scars for life

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Shoplifting scourge: Retail staff deserve action on a crime that scars for life

Violence, abuse and theft are all significantly up on pre-Covid levels
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The pandemic might feel like a distant memory.

Retailers spent millions rearranging shops, introducing screens, implementing social distancing and changing the way we shop. But there is now a very different epidemic plaguing our high streets.

A recent survey found that the 12 months to June had seen a 25 per cent increase in shoplifting compared with the previous year.

Thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive. This is contributing to a torrent of violence and abuse — our own crime survey shows there were over 850 incidents of violence or abuse every single day against hardworking people in retail.

Nearly double the number prior to the pandemic. These are the people who ensured we got the goods we needed in the pandemic. The same people who are subject to racist and sexist slurs, threats, violence.

Teenagers taking on their first job, carers in part-time work, parents working around childcare.

While the violence can be over in a moment, the victims carry these experiences for a lifetime. Shoplifting cost retailers more than £950 million last year, plus £715 million spent on crime prevention.

The total £1.7 billion cost is money that could be better spent cutting the cost of the things we buy. Only seven per cent of incidents of violence and abuse result in prosecution. For shoplifting, the figure is even less.

Colleagues are lucky if the police turn up to write a report — many don’t bother to report incidents.

So what’s the solution? Much greater prioritisation of retail crime by police. With much theft and violence being perpetrated by organised gangs, it’s essential that police attend all reported incidents, investigate them and charge the perpetrators.

We need a standalone offence for assaulting or abusing a retail worker — as exists in Scotland.

This would provide a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

It would also require police forces to record all incidents, allowing for better allocation of resources. Tackling crime is a campaign that parties of all political colours can work together to get behind.

Helen Dickinson is head of the British Retail Consortium.

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