04 November 2023 , 16:58
411
0
Poundland workers are wearing bodycams to help keep them safe from violent customers amid the spiralling shoplifting epidemic.
Till operators and shelf stackers at the discount chain report being bombarded with verbal abuse, physically threatened and even spat at. Bosses acted after intelligence found Poundland, which has 850 branches in the UK and Ireland, is among the top targets for organised crime gangs.
One thief was banned from every UK site for stealing £45 of washing tablets and being aggressive to staff. Another barred customer faced magistrates on the Isle of Wight over abuse in which he threatened to kill a worker. One employee in the East Midlands said the situation is getting “worse and worse”, adding: “Staff are asking for transfers all the time.”
Shoplifting at stores such as Poundland is soaring (PA Archive/PA Images)Another said the cameras were “useful”, letting staff “capture the full sense of the incident and those involved”. High Street retail thefts have doubled overall since 2017, costing firms more than £950million last year alone. Tesco, Waitrose, Primark and Co-op have also issued police-style bodycams to staff.
The British Retail Consortium has called for more police action to stop thieves. And Paddy Lillis, of shop workers’ union Usdaw, said: “Abuse should never be just a part of the job.” Poundland was contacted for comment.
Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights
A Poundland spokesperson said: “Because nothing is more important to us than supporting our own people and we’re currently, like many other retailers, piloting the use of bodycams in around 150 stores to protect the safety of our colleagues . We will continue to do all we can to protect our colleagues with technology, training and wellbeing support.”