Rise in attacks on shop staff blamed on police inaction

THE failure of police to tackle shoplifting effectively has led to a large rise in the number of violent attacks on retail staff, figures have suggested.

Around 115 shop workers are subjected to assaults every day, with some of them being attacked with knives, according to the British Retail Consortium’s annual crime survey.

It is estimated that shoplifting now costs the retail sector £1.9 b illion a year, up 12 per cent on the previous 12 months.

It comes at a time when the police have been accused of effectively decriminalising shoplifting by introducing a £200 threshold.

Most hard-pressed police forces will only dispatch an officer to investigate an incident if more than £200 worth of items have been stolen or if there has been a threat of violence against a member of staff.

Around 70 per cent of respondents to the survey described the police response to retail crime as poor and large numbers of smaller retailers no longer bother to report offences.

The consortium warned that the latest figures “laid bare the human cost” of criminality in the sector and called for forces to do more to tackle the problem of shoplifting.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the consortium, said: “Violence against employees remains one of the most pressing issues retailers face.

“Yet once again we have seen an increase in the overall number of incidents.

“Such crimes harm not just hardworking employees, but also their families and communities. No one should go to work fearing threats and abuse.

“We hope this report will act as a catalyst for police and crime commissioners around the country to take action.

“Retail crime should be explicitly addressed by Police and Crime Plans.”