Groups representing the UK’s convenience stores and shopworkers have written to police leaders urging them to reaffirm their commitment to investigating shop theft, after senior officers warned that the offence would be a lower priority for forces.
The letter, from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and shopworkers union USDAW, raises serious concerns about the perceived status of shop theft, warning that years of hard work convincing officers investigating retail crime is a good use of their time could be undone.
Earlier this month, senior officers responded publicly to the allocation of police funding in the Spending Review, warning that crimes such as shop theft would need to receive a lower priority for forces to be able to operate effectively.
ACS and USDAW said the approach is not consistent with the experience of forces across the UK, as theft often forms part of a wider network of criminal activity that blights communities and has a massive impact on retailers and their colleagues.
ACS chief executive, James Lowman (left), said: “We’ve worked tirelessly with police forces and Ministers to get the message across that shop theft is not a victimless crime and it needs to be investigated, and with retailers to convince them that taking the time to report these crimes is worthwhile. Senior officers are putting much of that progress at risk by waving away shop theft as no longer a priority.
“Theft is a serious crime that costs hundreds of millions every year and is the biggest trigger for the abuse of shopworkers and retailers. We must not stand back and allow the gangs, addicts and career criminals free rein over our local shops without any fear of reproach.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, commented: “The Government has increased police spending power by 2.3% a year in real terms, providing more than £2 billion for police forces and, while we accept there are a range of priorities, we urge constabularies to invest in frontline policing with more uniformed officers patrolling our communities and high streets.”
Over the last year in the convenience sector alone, there were over 6.2million incidents of shop theft recorded by retailers, with 77% of shopworkers experienced verbal abuse over the same period. 59% of retailers believe that incidents involving organised crime have increased over the last year, so taken together, the cost of crime and investment in crime prevention amount to a 10p crime tax on every transaction in a convenience store.
This latest letter comes as MPs continue to debate the Crime and Policing Bill ahead of its introduction later this year. The Bill aims to introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker, introduce Respect Orders, scrap the £200 threshold for shop theft offences, and to place £200 million for the next financial year on recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood police and police community support officers to tackle crimes against the community.
It was sent to National Police Chiefs Council Retail Crime Lead, Amanda Blakeman and Association for Police and Crime Commissioners Business Crime Leads Katy Bourne and Andy Dunbobbin. It can be seen in full here.
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