07 November 2023 , 16:45
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Shops are bringing in extra security and training for workers, over fears of a spike in retail theft in the run-up to Christmas, the Mirror can reveal.
Security firm Safecrowds, who work with several major stores told this newspaper it has been ‘inundated’ with requests by retailers in recent days.
Rory McGoldrick, CEO of Safecrowds, said: “We always see an increase in shoplifting during Christmas, with a lot of organised crime groups looting stores and clearing the shelves of multiple items to sell on and this has been no exception. We have had a massive increase in enquiries recently and it has varied - some of it has been for uniformed and covert security guards and others have been for staff training to deal with the issue.
“There have been more enquiries from shops compared to other years and a lot of that comes down to the lack of a police response. Retailers are using private companies to fill that gap.”
There were almost 800 incidents of shoplifting a day in the run up to Christmas last year (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Last year in November and December there were 48,731 shoplifting incidents in the UK in the lead up to Christmas, the equivalent of almost 800 per day. However, the crime has been on the rise this year with recent figures from police in England and Wales showing some 365,164 offences were recorded in the year to June 2023, up 25% on the previous 12 months.
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It is highly likely there will be a further spike as the UK enters the peak shopping period of the year and retail union Usdaw also say they believe incidents of retail crime could increase over the next few weeks. General secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Abuse, threats and violence against shopworkers are at staggeringly high levels.
“Things are only likely to get worse in the run-up to the busy Christmas period, at a time when retail workers are already under added pressure. Rising shoplifting from organised crime gangs and repeat and prolific offenders is triggering many of these incidents, something that will be combined with added stress levels experienced by many shoppers.”
As well as campaigning for a law to make abuse of retail workers a standalone offence, Usdaw is calling for police to attend incidents in stores. This is one of the demands of The Mirror’s ongoing Clamp Down on Shoplifting campaign, which is also asking for a reversal of a 2014 Tory law which downgraded the theft of goods worth less than £200 to a minor offence.
We are also asking for the number of Police Community Support Offices to be restored to patrol our high streets and for some of the underlying causes of shoplifting including addiction and the cost-of-living crisis to be tackled.
Mike French of security firm Checkpoint Systems told The Mirror the cost-of-living crisis could create more incidents of theft in the run-up to Christmas. He said: “Without a doubt, the economic challenges brought about by the cost-of-living crisis is placing people under tremendous pressure, affecting their ability to manage essential bills and simply put food on the table. Adding to the strain is that for many, Christmas is a time of indulgence. It is expected this crisis will continue to be an issue for retailers this year.”
However, with figures showing that 63% of shoplifting is committed by repeat offenders, certain items are also being targeted by organised gangs to be stolen on the black market. Mr French added: “Now more than ever, luxury clothing and accessories are a prime target, not just in their value but ease in which they can be resold.
There has already been a huge spike in recorded shoplifting offences this year – before we hit the peak festive period (StokeSentinel)“Closely followed is food, alcohol, and festive indulgences such as gourmet treats, premium wines, and spirits. Lastly, given their value, the allure extends to high-end cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products which offer substantial profits in the resale markets that are attractive to offenders.”
John Nussbaum, director of service, retail at Kingdom Security, who look after supermarkets and convenience stores said many have contacted his firm to provide extra guards to patrol certain aisles in the run-up to Christmas, for example the beer, wine and spirits section.
Last month, a new Retail Crime Action Plan was announced by the government to tackle what has been described as an ‘epidemic’ of retail theft. As part of this a specialist new police team is also being created to build a comprehensive picture of the organised crime gangs that fuel many shoplifting incidents across the country, to help target and dismantle them.
Police have also committed to attend more crime scenes and use facial recognition to target offenders. Firms are also involved, with a group of 13 retailers, including Tesco, Co-op, John Lewis and Sainsbury’s agreeing to pay almost £800,000 over two years to fund a partnership with the Police, known as Project Pegasus.
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Nicki Juniper, head of security at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We remain as committed as ever during our busiest trading period to making sure our customers and Partners feel safe in our shops.
“We’ll be continuing to have a number of measures in place through increased security, improved training and more CCTV, so that we can tackle any crime that takes place in our shops head on.”
Meanwhile, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson said they continue to have a range of measures in place to keep colleagues and customers safe in the run-up to Christmas, such as staff wearing body cameras.
They added: “We have also increased the number of security officers in our stores this year and use measures to deter criminal activity like our in-store detectives and security doors.”