A BBC Breakfast television news story broadcast today with BBC Breakfast News presenters, Naga Munchetty, Ben Thompson and BBC Business News presenter, Hannah Miller.
This BBC Breakfast News story focused their attention surrounding the rising levels of violence, anti-social behaviour and theft retailers are experiencing on a daily basis in retail stores up and down the United Kingdom.
This story also featured the effects that violence, anti-social behaviour and theft has on retailers their staff and members of the general public who have to witness it.
Founder of the non-profit organisation, Retailers Against Crime, Maxine Fraser said, "There needs to be consequences for persistent offenders, organised crime groups need to be targeted and the United Kingdom needs to become a hard target against crime, certainly anti-social behaviour and violence against retail shop staff".
Many retailers are creating groups via social messaging apps to share images of suspects to alert one another by sharing images and CCTV footage of the suspect who are responsible for theft, (shoplifting), and anti-social behaviour in their retail outlets.
Retailers have reported that they are worried about talking about the theft and abuse they face, they fear repercussions from offenders if they talk about the theft and abuse they face.
New figures released to the BBC stated that shoplifting has risen more than sixty percent in some areas of the country over the last two years.
In January to August 2023, retail businesses who are working with, Retailers Against Crime reported almost nine thousand incidents so far this year which is up five thousand from the previous two years.
Stores such as Tesco, Co-op and Iceland say that they are having to spend lots more money on anti crime measures such as steak and cheese being fitted with security tags. In some Co-op stores they have replaced the coffee with dummy jars.
In this BBC Breakfast News story you will see how a group of youths try to steal vapes from a retail store in Southampton, one of the youths jumps over the counter to grab the vapes before members of staff remove him from the store. The group of youths then proceeded to throw drinks at staff members in retaliation for being removed. Scenes like this are becoming increasingly common across the United Kingdom.
BBC Business News presenter, Hannah Miller contacted the National Police Chiefs Council, (NPCC) regarding the significant rise in anti-social behaviour and theft in retail outlets. A spokesperson for the NPCC said, " Police forces are doing everything possible to tackle shoplifting".
Concerned retail business owner, Jay Sing said, "Shoplifting is a pretty major issue, a lot of them just grab and walk out since the cost of living has gone up, parents and people can't afford. The main problem is with kids shoplifting, groups of them".
Shoplifting is an offence that retailers warn has reached epidemic levels that affect retailers big and small up and down the country.
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