How to help the corner shop owner

[Peterandpam]

Every day on the way to work I go passed our local corner shop I probably go in once a week. Every day it’s got school kids crowded outside and inside. The door says 2 max school children but they all just pile in. The shop owner tells them to wait outside but they don’t listen they are always stealing stuff last week some boy cued put the change on the counter and walked off being £1.50 short I opened the door to tell him but he had legged it off. He has big cctv monitor as you walk in has recently had a second member of staff to man the door but I guess it isn’t feasible to pay someone to work an hour in the morning and then the afternoon. I feel really sorry for him every day. I guess he could not allow school children full stop but that’s not really an option and I’m sure there are plenty of kids who don’t steal and use the shop sensibly.

I’ve never understood these ‘two children max’ signs. A shoplifter can still easily steal whilst the shopkeeper is distracted with another customer.

Regarding your other question, unless you’re prepared to be the security guard, I don’t know what you can really do tbh.

The shop owner needs to employ someone to manage this rule while they serve. I don't know what you can so as a passerby.

If it’s that bad I would shut the shop until school starts. Or ban school kids.

He did employ someone for a while but they left and he said he can’t get cover for an hour in the morning and afternoon

Why do you think you need to help? The shop keeper hasn’t asked for your help and it isn’t your business or your problem.

Not much you can do except move away from that area where children are feral.

Corner shop vigilante 🤣

Sorry OP but unless you have a stake in the business I’d try not to be too wrapped up in it.

I would contact the school that they go to. Perhaps they might send a member of staff down or at the very least talk to the children. If the shop owner met with the school and took the cctv he could identify the children too for some sort of asbo

Do you know which school they are from? While the school has no responsibility for what they do out of school hours but if they are in uniform they are representing (ie advertising) the school.
There are certain schools near where I live that during the end of the day every gate, bus stop and infact at various points along the road - including shops /takeaway food places - has members of staff on duty to monitor and control the behaviour. Technically it's out of school hours and off the school premises but they obviously feel the need to do it so I assume they must have some 'power' over the kids even though they aren't in school.
I personally feel it makes these schools look like awful schools if their pupils are going to behave so dreadful while 'advertising' the school (ie wearing uniform) and as a result I would not consider wanting to send a child of mine to any of those schools.
Perhaps reporting the behaviour of those children in the shop to the school might mean the staff can teach this children how to behave and stop this bad advertisement for their school.

I would work out what school they go to from their uniforms and contact the school. Most schools will at least mention it in assembly or talk to specific children. I’ve heard of some even sending a teacher to the shop to monitor behaviour for a week!

The shop owner needs to get on at the school including cctv footage to 'name and shame' and do it relentlessly until the school cares. He should also involve the police for same reasons.

School assemblies may help but a couple of prosecutions will help more. However whilst I have no sympathy for the kids that are prosecuted, sadly he's probably worried about posting off local parents, some of whom may have a "kids will be kids" attitude to the whole thing.

Posting off = pissing off

It's nice that you care about him and don't just think it's his problem. He should t have to deal with that. I don't know what you can do though apart from contacting the school or local policing team if there is one. You and or others would probably have to keep doing it though. Even if he had someone posted at the door what can they actually do? It's very sad that people are treated this way, more sad that others are fine with it.

If they inform the school, the school will likely have a word with all the children. If they have cctv of any of the children stealing the shop owner could report them to the police.
when I worked in a little sainsburys it was near a school and all the school children used to come in a steal things in the mornings, the manager spoke to the school about it, the school told the boys parents and that sorted it.

Has he got CCTV actually in the shop or just at the door? When I worked at a high school some children were actually caught shoplifting on CCTV, the shop contacted the school who identified the children from the CCTV and then they informed parents and I think the shopkeeper contacted the police (not sure). I know it really gave those kids a scare. If the camera is just recording who goes in and out it's not as much use.

Big groups of kids egg each other on to do things they would be far too scared to do alone

Maybe a selling hatch by the door with no open access for kids for an hour before and after school?
Stack up their usual purchases in readiness.

It’s none of your business really op. There’s all sorts of things he can do to put a stop to it, it’s his business and up to him though. Clearly he’s still making a decent amount of money off these kids to be letting them in in the first place, more than enough to cover the odd sweet or chocolate bar a couple of them have managed to steal. What is it you’re proposing to do to help? Offer to act as security for him?

The selling hatch is a great idea! People who genuinely want to buy, will still buy

I agree with contacting the school.