Скачать или смотреть Lawless Britain - shops & robbers - Kamikaze shoplifters *(13) (UK) 30/Jan/2025

Shoplifters 'out of control' and becoming more brazen, say retailers.

Retail crime is "out of control" and shoplifters are carrying out increasingly brazen and violent acts of theft because they do not fear any consequences, an industry body has told the BBC.

In some cases, offenders are openly clearing shelves of items in full view of customers and shop workers - a tactic sometimes known as "kamikaze" shoplifting.

In the 12 months to September last year, incidents of customer theft reported by retailers in the UK rose by 3.7 million to 20.4 million, and cost retailers £2bn.

The figures were published on Thursday in the annual crime survey from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents more than 200 major retailers.

According to the BRC, violence and abuse against shopworkers also rose by 50%, with more than 2,000 such incidents recorded on average per day.

It says its survey was based on a sample of retailers representing over 1.1 million employees and a market turnover of more than £194bn.

Separate figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday revealed shoplifting offences reported by police in England and Wales rose by 23% to more than 492,000 over the same period.

That is the highest figure since current recording practices began in 2003.

However Tom Holder, spokesperson for the BRC, said the extent of the problem is "very, very much underestimated by the ONS", because it only captures crime reported by police.

"If their statistics were true, there'd only be about one and a half incidents per year per shop, and if you ask any shopkeeper they'll tell you they're lucky if a day goes by where there hasn't been a shoplifting incident."

In one "kamikaze" incident last month at a phone store in London's Oxford Street, two men spent minutes kicking down a phone stand in front of customers and shop workers.

It is believed the phone stand contained dummy phones which could then have been sold online to unsuspecting customers, tricked into believing they were buying the real thing.

The Metropolitan Police said officers responded to the incident and carried out a search of the area. They were unable to locate the suspects, despite the fact that they were captured on video. An investigation has since been launched.

*All links on (1) here:    • Lawless Britain - shoplifting wave - even ...  

There is now a crime playlist on the channel if you are interested as well. From October 2024+ (previous crimes videos are in the people playlist).

#lawlessbritain
#shoplifting
#costoflivingcrisis
#shops&robbers
#kamilazeshoplifters