If you work in retail (shop floor) have you personally witnessed an increase in thieving?

[SaturdayGiraffe]

Someone just told me there’s conspiracy theories that the shops are lying to raise prices.
I’ve seen one theft this year (as a shopper).
Suppose the AIBU is “To believe that theft has indeed increased.”

The shop at the petrol station near me has had an increase in thefts, and the pharmacy that DD woeks in has also had an increase in shoplifting. They have had to rearrange the stock to make it more difficult.

Absolutely.

‘Times are hard’ is really not an excuse for paying someone to shoplift an item to order for you.

most people take alternative actions: lots of people have bought children costs from charity shops because they couldn’t afford a new one, for example. That’s what one does when ‘times are hard’.

I can say yes for sure. My other half worked in a food shop, and saw it daily. Very horrible thing happened to him though trying to stop them walking out, he got beat up for it, but the police didn't give a stuff

I don’t think the staff should have to try to stop potentially violent people who conduct raids on shops or are shoplifting to order for others. Retail staff are not equipped or paid for that sort of thing.

Well to be honest there is no security in there and the new boss said to try. He didn't touch them at all, purely asked for the basket to be out down. I think foe the whole staff it was getting very wearing.

But also he got a bit picked on because of his size and they know that he cannot respond

The problem is the justice system - no punishment for ‘shoplifting’-community work.

I don't think it's the shop that's the one doing the robbing in this scenario.

I heard that the local M&S is losing £8,000 per week theft.
(I actually think it might have been per day but that seems too ridiculous).

Someone is probably so skint they cannot afford to eat but don’t formally qualify for help 😢

If that were the case surely they would be stealing stuff to eat, or do you think their family lives on a diet of steak and premium spirits? It's gangs of thieving bastards making a profit and costing the rest of us in the process

It's not the skint people. It's people that know they can get away with it. They literally clear a shelf in a basket and just walk out laughing

and they know that they are to a large degree protected by the myth that it’s opportunistic theft driven by desperate individuals in dire circumstances.

Like all crime, most of it fits into a wider illicit economy that is extremely socially harmful.

On two occasions I saw someone stealing sausage rolls and a few things from the shelves in Greggs early in the morning in the city centre. Both times, the staff shouted out and ran into the street after them! That’s surely not their job.

But prices get put up to cover cost of theft, so people like you and her are part of the cause of 'shops robbing us blind' ffs

Sad that our legal system is so pathetic and the police don't get involved, and of course prices continue to rise as we all pay for this.

I doubt that a poster who is happy to post ‘i wanted a new coat for my child so I got it half price by asking someone to steal it for me’ cares.

Apart from anything, they already knew who to ask to steal it for them. So this is clearly something they think is totally normal and fine.

Most people, when their child needs a coat and money is tight, don’t even have ‘oh I’ll get someone to steal it for me’ on their radar as a possibility. They either pick a cheaper shop, find a second hand coat, or (if they’re lucky) benefit from a hand-me-down from someone. Stealing the one they ideally want to order simply doesn’t factor in to it.

Poor staff, must have been terrifying for them.
That’s where you need the “door cage” Phoebe got trapped in in a Friends episode.

They need Dina from Superstore!

Yea, groups of men use distraction tactics, engaging with staff or making a massive mess, whilst their friends quietly walk out with stuff unnoticed. Even if we do see them, we have no power to do anything. Nor will I risk my safety for minimum wage.

I have friends who work in retail. Shoplifting is always a problem, they won’t employ a security guard and they are such minimal staffing on the floor there’s not much they can do to stop it.

It’s not just people desperate : clothes shop. It’s organised groups of them who then sell them on. Recognisable faces a lot of the time. This was also well before the crisis in cost of living now.

Im not denying desperate people aren’t now resorting to shoplifting but much of it is historic.

This is it- the shops will be taking into account the shrinkage from shop lifting and adjusting other factors accordingly (I don’t mean little corner shops, I mean the big chains). The stuff they put in the foyer in Asda for example- they know full well a large percentage of it will walk out the door, but have worked out it’s worth it in terms of advertising/reduced storage needs/people who come in for the thing they see as they pass and end up buying other stuff too.

I was at the Eurostar Duty Free (Paris side) and while I was smelling the expensive perfumes, a woman came in sprayed herself and then popped the perfume bottle into her handbag, smiled at me and walked out.

I must admit I stood there frozen with the brazenness of it all.

I wouldn’t dare steal anything from the Greggs in our town- the elderly ladies who preside over it are savage. With each other and the customers! It’s honestly like if you crossed Nora Batty and her broom with a headmistress from an Enid Blyton book- last time I went in one lady considered that the other lady had let the til be down by 10p and they we’re having a full on slanging match over the ovens.

It’s the most orderly, quiet and polite shop in the whole town- everyone is terrified to put a toe out of line 😃

Get your facts right, I didn't ask her to steak it for me! I was in the shop with the coat on my hand already abd I was going to buy it and she saw it and asked how much it was and then said "I can get it you for half that" so thought why not. I never irder things from shoplifters. It was a one off opportunity

The trouble is: Where does it end?

You buy a stolen coat for half price now, but why would you ever pay full price again? For anything?
Why not just get your entire home and life from theft until you pass on?

And if someone steals from you, it’s fine right.

The social contract is breaking down and it doesn’t just end at shop theft, it keeps going.

But thanks for all the eye opening replies.
And sympathy to all the shop workers on the frontline.
The stress must be horrible.