Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not understand why TF some companies don’t employ security guards to help tackle shoplifting in retail?

110 replies

Pebblesandshells · 10/06/2022 09:24

I work in retail in just one store of very well known nationwide chain of supermarkets, and although the stores tend not to be superstores, they are still a fair size in general and are extremely busy.
As in the title, I can’t understand why the stores don’t have any security staff to help reduce the shoplifting. (Some of the much larger stores may have security, but in all the stores I know in my vicinity, including mine, there are none)

As you may imagine, shoplifting is extremely rife, and in our store alone we are dealing with shoplifters on a daily basis. Most of them just blatantly steal a basket of steaks, joints, cheese, alcohol and coffee (although anything that isn’t nailed down is a target) and often walk out with a ‘couldn’t give a fuck attitude’ if they’re seen.

It’s also not just a ‘stereotypical look’ of a shoplifter who will help themselves, (even the wealthy who pull up in their 4 x 4’s are almost as likely to steal, it seems, if they can get away with it, although they tend to try to hide their theft by being more discreet and accidentally on purpose not scanning all their items into the self scanners, then acting all innocent when you point out that they’ve actually got four bottles of wine instead of one)

Our store alone must lose AT LEAST a few hundred pounds a week because of the light fingered brigade , (and that’s only the thefts we know of) so surely if there was constant security, what the store would save in reduced theft would pay for the security guard to be there!

So basically, where’s the sense in having no security, which would in effect pay for itself?

OP posts:
HelloBarkness · 11/06/2022 13:48

Agrudge · 11/06/2022 13:23

I didn't think 27k for doing not a great deal for 90% of the time was too bad .

Only tax,N.I and pension is taken out of my pay

Uniform and all training I'd provided by the company

Where is paying £27k for standard supermarket security if you don't mind my asking?

Agrudge · 11/06/2022 13:49

HelloBarkness · 11/06/2022 13:48

Where is paying £27k for standard supermarket security if you don't mind my asking?

Yeah sorry . Shopping centre not supermarket

Agrudge · 11/06/2022 13:50

Same issues with crack heads though

Pebblesandshells · 11/06/2022 14:54

blugray · 11/06/2022 12:54

@Pebblesandshells you have mentioned impressionable young people being seduced into the idea of shoplifting multiple times. I think you need to give young people more credit, they’re not idiots. They see people doing other illegal/morally dubious things regularly and make the decision to not mirror that behaviour. They know actions have consequences. Shoplifting is ghetto, trashy and weird behaviour, it’s not exactly “cool”.

I haven’t mentioned it multiple times at all.
And I’m not categorising all young people whatsoever, as I know they’re not idiots. But, there are bound to people who are drawn to shoplifting because they learn that it’s one of those offences where there is no punishment at all (Unless you get caught for multiple offences)
I mean, come on, do you really believe that all shoplifters went down that road just because they’re either smack heads, and only steal to sell for drugs?, or because they’re just greedy bastards and want something for nothing?

OP posts:
Pebblesandshells · 11/06/2022 14:57

Pebblesandshells · 11/06/2022 14:54

I haven’t mentioned it multiple times at all.
And I’m not categorising all young people whatsoever, as I know they’re not idiots. But, there are bound to people who are drawn to shoplifting because they learn that it’s one of those offences where there is no punishment at all (Unless you get caught for multiple offences)
I mean, come on, do you really believe that all shoplifters went down that road just because they’re either smack heads, and only steal to sell for drugs?, or because they’re just greedy bastards and want something for nothing?

They steal because it’s EASY to. End of.

OP posts:
Themidnightpig · 12/06/2022 10:23

It's a lazy assumption that all shoplifters are desperate/addicts. I had a friend (from a very well off family, posh school, no money worries) who confessed to me she used to get a buzz out of shoplifting and do it all the time during her high school days. She said she must have had thousands of pounds worth of clothes and bags. She got caught a few times but only ever got a slap on the wrist and the items confiscated, never anything to serve as a deterrent. She was ashamed years later but admitted it was easy and still had some of the bags and jewellery.

Tammymammy · 04/04/2023 12:48

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Florenz · 04/04/2023 19:02

Security guards need to be given more leeway to stop shoplifters. "human rights" should not even be a consideration.

MrNook · 04/04/2023 19:41

Florenz · 04/04/2023 19:02

Security guards need to be given more leeway to stop shoplifters. "human rights" should not even be a consideration.

  1. This thread is from June last year
  1. I'm fairly sure Human Rights should definitely be a consideration, wtf!
Tammymammy · 10/04/2023 07:00

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page