As reported earlier in our exclusive live blog, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee held its second and third oral evidence sessions this morning, including hearing from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) about the impact of theft on its members.
The ACS gave evidence alongside the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships and the Safer Business Network, following on from the Co-op and Professor Emmeline Taylor of City University. It shared the experiences of its members when reporting shoplifting and dealing with police if affected by shop theft, and emphasised a lack of faith in police and the need to take offenders out of the cycle of reoffending.
Figures from the 2024 ACS Crime Report show there have been over 76,000 incidents of violence recorded in the convenience sector over the last year, and over 5.6 million incidents of theft. The top three triggers for abuse in stores were reported as challenging thieves, enforcing age restricted sales policies and refusing to serve customers that are intoxicated.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Shop thieves are usually repeat offenders, two- or three-person crime waves in a housing estate or village, and we’re seeing not just a higher volume of theft, but more brazen incidents, with thieves simply clearing shelves.
“We’re starting to see much better protocols on reporting crime but in too many areas retailers think it’s just not worth reporting. There isn’t the faith in the police and courts that there will be effective penalties for prolific repeat offenders. I don’t think the police are doing nearly enough to investigate resellers of stolen goods.”
The ACS is continuing to share its members’ experiences and are continuing to work with the Home Office and leading high street retailers on the ShopKind campaign, which encourages customers to respect shopworkers. More information about Shopkind and how to get involved with the campaign is available here.
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