Shops call for legal action as attacks on staff rise 50%

STORE bosses are demanding urgent action to tackle the shop crime crisis amid a 50 per cent surge in violence and abuse against staff.

Incidents hit 1,300 a day in the financial year 2022 to 2023, a survey has found.

And the cost of thefts from stores doubled to £1.8 billion, hitting 45,000 incidents a day – 16.4 million a year.

Some 60 per cent of retailers say the police response to calls for help has been ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

As a result, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has joined calls for

‘Criminals are given free pass’

attacks on shop staff to be made a specific offence in England and Wales – as it is in Scotland.

The figures come from the BRC’s annual crime survey and are likely to have increased since last year.

Helen Dickinson, of the trade association, said: ‘With over 1,300 incidents every day, government can no longer ignore the plight of ordinary, hardworking retail colleagues.’

She claimed there is a lack of support from the police and courts, adding: ‘Criminals are being given a free pass to steal goods and to abuse and assault retail colleagues.’ She said the Protection of Workers Act in Scotland provides additional security for retail workers, and asked: ‘ Why should our hardworking colleagues south of the border be offered less?’

The Home Office has launched a Retail Crime Action Plan which includes a commitment from police to prioritise shoplifting where violence is used and where security guards have detained an offender.

Policing minister Chris Philp said: ‘ I want a new zero- tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting. It is a blight on our high streets and communities and puts the livelihoods of traders at risk.’