"Shoplifter: Police need to stop people like me"

[timpanie]

"A persistent shoplifter has said the police need to do more to stop people like her stealing from businesses.

[...]

She thinks the police could do more to combat the actions of people like her.

"When people shoplift, they [police] should start putting pictures of the shoplifters on the internet, maybe on the front doors so people can see 'warning', you know, 'shoplifter'.

"I don't think police quite do their job properly.""

From here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66974506

I'm hoping she was prodded into saying that (i.e. asked by the journalist whether the authorities could do more about shoplifting) rather than it being spontaneous but I can't help but despair a little. So much commentary on crime is now a complex analysis of who else could be blamed other than the perpetrator. Can people not take responsibility for their own actions?

They just want you to pay for your own security guard

I can remember when being taken to court for shoplifting was shameful . Your name and address was printed in the local rag for everyone to see.

We are our own security guards

I feel sorry for the owners of small businesses because we all know that big corporates will get doors and scanning systems that mean you have scan your debit or credit card before you are allowed in. And they will close up in areas where shoplifting makes their business too expensive.

They would also print what you had stolen. I was shocked when I saw that someone had stolen some knickers from BHS.

Does Argos suffer from shoplifting?

But the police should take your complaints seriously. It would send out a message your shop is not an easy touch . People are targeting you because they think they can get away with it .

I was in m and s yesterday. All of a sudden there was a whole load of shouting and 2 members of staff belted past me towards the doors. A man had walked out of the shop, through the rotating doors, with a coat and arms full of mens pants and socks. He stopped, turned round and handed it all back. They took it and said thank you. THANK YOU FFS. They came back in and he walked away, presumably to try the same thing in TKMaxx next door. Totally bizarre.

No I dont want staff to tackle shoplifters but I was in our Tesco Extra on Fri morning and there was one till open and one staff on the self checkout area and possibly one with an ipad wandering around the food aisles. They could easily close all the self checkouts where I've seen people wander through with bags of unpaid goods. They could have people in the aisles so there is an announcement over the tannoy when a thief is seen so we'll get a chance to look at the thief, someone might even know him/her, and their exit is slowed down as they push past the queue at the checkouts (remanned). The doors could be closed and opened more slowly - another chance to get the thief on video.

It wouldn't take much imv and the thieves would just move onto lidl or aldi but where I am these supermarkets are smaller and the tills quite narrow so probably don't have the problem tesco has.
It's not just chance the the stealing increased as staff was reduced.

@SueDonnym You are deluded if you think "having the thief on video" will make any difference to police re investigation. All supermarkets are covered in CCTV now.

@SueDonnym I don't think you have a single clue how retail works, tbh.

Normal shoppers like me would just stop going to shops if I was unable to browse, asked for ID and let out of the shop so shops won't do it as it would wreck their profits.

Our shop is covered in CCTV. We wear body cameras and headsets to communicate with each other. When you activate the body camera you are meant to tell the person (shoplifter or random angry bastard getting in your face) that they are being recorded. We haven’t met a single person who gives a single fuck. They still carrying on stealing, screaming at you, spitting, generally lashing out. The footage is retained and passed on to the police and the police still do nothing.

Honestly, I want these people out of the building and away from us asap, I don’t feel it’s safe to slow them down most of the time. You’re not gonna know if it’s safe or not anyway unless they are repeat offenders. Some of those you can confront confidently and demand your stuff back but others no fucking chance.

God, this is all terrible. I knew shoplifting had got worse but I didn't realise how bad it was. Awful and terrifying for staff and for small business owners.

These days if you post photos the police will probably come around to ask you to take them down, because the thieving scumbag has hurt feelings.

These stories are so upsetting. I just can't see how it's going to get better when thieves are so aware of how (understandably) powerless retail workers are.

@legalseagull I don't understand the problem here. She's offering advice to police as to what would stop her shoplifting.

@SymbolicSymbalsWhen a criminal tells you what would stop them committing crimes, we should probably listen.

Sure - I've seen interviews with ex-burglars where they point out common security weaknesses that can be exploited. That's helpful. But in this case her "advice" is that the shops put up a picture of her. So what? So they can ask her to leave when they see her? And when she refuses to what happens then? That's not a solution - as usual it shifts the responsibility onto anyone apart from the person actually carrying out the crime.

Catching the shoftlifter on CCTV doesn't help. I've watched shoplifting videos on social media including one where a woman in a mobility scooter used her mobility scooter to break down the Tesco doors which had been closed in the hope that she'd leave without any items. Door was smashed to bits so probably cost more to repair than whatever she stole.

I witnessed this in my local M&S, the alarms went off and the worker at the checkout just shouted to a colleague 'let them go' so nobody went after them and they walked out with a load of meat.

yes that's....exactly what I said????

You said they'd 'rather reduce their staffing bills' - you didn't draw a comparison between staffing bills and losses from theft.

crikey this thread is depressing. i had no idea it was such an easy deal for shoplifters. i imagine word will get around and it can only get worse.

it feels like a break down in society. which i think it probably is. it's not the only symptom, but it feels fucking worrying that we are at this stage.

Can't believe anyone would blame the staff! It just shows what a privileged bubble some people live in.

You are right . It's starting with shoplifting. It's sending out a message to youngsters that you can do what you want and get away with it .

I believe major retailers have contacted the Government asking for a crackdown

My Tesco does use CCTV - they send cops round if someone has left without paying and they have their number plate. It’s a rural area, no threats and violence hence slowing exit could discourage.