Reports of shoplifting in convenience stores double in a year

Shoplifting reports have doubled in a year as retailers blame the police for turning a blind eye, new figures show.

A report by the Association of Convenience Stores’ 2018 Crime Report has revealed that there were over 950,000 incidents of theft reported in corner shops over the last year, rising from 575,000 in the previous year.

It means more than 200 thefts are being reported an hour with many more going uncaught. 

The significant rise in shop thefts is also linked to aggressive behaviour towards retailers and their staff, the report said.

It comes after leading retailers accused Ministers of helping to fuel a sharp rise in shoplifting after it emerged that a £200 threshold for pursuing criminals has been introduced.

Most police forces now no longer attend reports of routine shop theft and will only send an officer to investigate if there has been a threat of violence against a member of staff. 

Those caught stealing less than £200 are now dealt with by post, in the same way as speeders, leading to the effective decriminalisation of shoplifting.

Back in December the Daily Telegraph revealed that retailers had held private meetings with the Home Office at which they warned that "prolific and persistent" offenders were now exploiting the rules by moving around high streets stealing just under £200 worth of goods.

According to the report the total cost of crimes committed against the convenience sector over the last year was £193 million, which equates to a 7p "crime tax" on every transaction in stores.

In addition small stores are also battling against fraudulent payment in the form of counterfeit notes and credit and debit card fraud, which amounted to £24 million in costs last year. With the introduction of the new polymer notes and the new "highly secure" 12-sided £1 coin it is hoped that this figure is set to fall. 

The ACS's chief executive, James Lowman, said: “Retailers and their staff are facing violence and abuse on a regular basis for enforcing the law, whether it be through challenging shop thieves, refusing the sale of age restricted products like tobacco and alcohol, or refusing to serve people that are intoxicated. 

"Allowing shop theft to go unpunished means that these people go on to commit other offences, and where they have addiction problems they are not treated.  We need fresh thinking from government and the police, because when shop theft is not tackled properly, it has wider implications for communities."