Shops are becoming quite scary

[ithinkilikethislittlelife]

I am starting to become quite nervous in shops, primarily shops that sell food stuffs. Just yesterday I saw two men go through a fire door in my local supermarket that takes them straight into the car park armed with baskets of stolen items. The one basket had steak/meats and the other looked like it was all bottles of vodka. The poor staff trying to wrestle the baskets back and stop the two men from leaving was quite upsetting to witness. This was yesterday. Saturday in my local co op a chap was loitering by the alcohol section while I was shopping. Getting into our car outside I noticed him sprinting past us clutching bottles of alcohol. Me and dh see it all the time now. It’s an epidemic. And it usually seems to be men. And I’m not having it that they are stealing milk for babies or bread for their children. I always see them take alcohol. I don’t know what the answer is but yesterday I was frightened for the staff member who intervened as the one chap raised a bottle of alcohol at her and she then backed off but I totally understood her rage at trying to stop the thieves taking from her place of work. I don’t want my children to witness these thieving people and I don’t want to feel anxious just trying to go about my day and buy food!

Not sure why you took my question to be belittling the OP. It was a genuine question wanting to know where this is taking place, not doubting that it does.

Ah yes, lets get to the root cause and ensure everyone can afford 16 bottles of vodka 🙄

The insinuation that the cost of living makes those in poverty feel entitled to steal is quite frankly disgusting. Being poor does not make you a lowlife.

I was unemployed for 13 months. Did I steal? Did I commit crimes? No

I litter pick with my womble group. We have found bags of security tags and supermarket baskets in lay-bys. Some supermarkets are miles away from the lay-bys. Must be where gangs swap their stolen goods with drugs.

One day I was chasing a customer who left her purse behind. At the same time as I left the store, a shoplifter ran out with a basket of goods. He thought I was running after him. He dropped the basket and ran off. About £320 of meat came back into the store

I’ve never seen a violent robbery like what you describe (even though I live in London, but the nicer part). A couple of weeks ago was the first time I saw someone steal something and they were so bold it shocked me. A normal-looking couple, not drug addicts, a large chain supermarket in Waterloo. A couple jumped the queue to self-checkout, they both had items in their arms. Initially they both approached a till each, but then she walked away and only he scanned his items and paid. They walked out and the door started beeping loudly. The security guy standing by the door said “hey” and waved at them, as they ignored him and walked away onto the street. Security didn’t do anything, just let them walk out without paying. This was probably the most shocking thing in this whole situation

Where do you live?

Obviously it’s criminal behaviour but I’m not sure it’s scary. Shoplifters won’t harm you will they? Unless you challenge them in which case they’ll try and shove you out the way so they can leg it.

We already have the highest PC prison population in western Europe....

They arent there to harm just steal keep out of their way

Wrong. I have witnessed a gang of men punching the person who tried to stop them in the face. It is frightening , they are not just shop lifters they are violent thugs.

Have witnessed it myself too. Police being called too on one occasion. I would turn a blind eye if it wasnt alcohol due to the cost of living currently, but its always bloody alcohol. On the other hand, the supermarkets are raking it in and I doubt a couple of bottles of alcohol and steaks is going to harm them. I really dont know why staff put themselves at risk for their produce. They are being shafted too. On minimum wage or near enough to try and afford to live because of the cost of food in the very supermarkets they work in. I wouldnt run after thieves if I worked in one. I know someone will say, that thats why the price of food is high, because the supermarkets have to reap back what is stolen. But its not. Its actually to do with lack of liquidity in the current financial system.
With regards, to feeling scared, this is only going to get worse until they release liquidity and people can start to afford to live, unfortunately. It is a worry though. Had a security nearly knock me and 6 yo son flying chasing after one.

Do you honestly think that people stealing steak and vodka are hungry and are struggling???

I've seen it a few times too and yes it is unnerving. Any kind of unpredictable aggression or violence can be. I saw a guy in a fight with a security guard recently, each had one end of a bottle of something, some other stuff he'd stolen fell on the floor. Our local small Co-op had a huge problem with meat being stolen and people with knives threatening staff. They changed their opening hours in response.

This is in a fairly middle class naice area, just happens to have a few halfway houses bordering it.

well don’t try to stop them then

Late 90s as a very innocent 18 year old worked in a tesco (owned but not branded yet) off licence in the city centre. We were basically told to turn a blind eye as it wasnt safe to intervene, more stuff was nicked than paid for it was awful but its not a new thing.

I called into Aldi a few months ago and as I was at the checkout there was a huge commotion and loads of shouting by the door. I couldn't see what was going on, as other shoppers were in the way. A member of staff came past from the door, shaking her head, as an undesirable looking bloke trotted past the window laughing and waving an armful of bottles of cider.
Staff shouldn't have to try to deal with that, they don't know if these thieves have weapons or needles on them. It's really not worth the risk.

That’s absolutely not the reason. It’s called entitlement. Hard working people are not stealing.

I don’t agree. I feel very uncomfortable around any kind of criminal. If they can steal from a shop, they can do anything.

Yeah, chances are stealing from shops isn’t the only crime they’re willing to commit!

I have also seen shoplifters getting into a getaway van via sliding door and the van doing stupid speeds hitting two vehicles

Absolutely this! Nothing to do with cost if lu ing at all. They are selling it on and making money out of it.

I work for a big food retailer and in some stores we have our meat joints in the anti theft boxes.

One day, in the time it took the Manager to walk from the freezers to the office to answer the phone, someone had managed to get a joint out of one of the boxes and left the box on top of the freezer and legged it. These thieves have keys they get hold of on the likes of Amazon to bypass these boxes too.

Whatever anti theft measures are put in place, the thieves always find a way around them.

Thank you. Some common sense

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen this. It’s for drugs. Addicts have to sell an awful lot of stuff to feed a daily habit. I heard one man says to a member of staff ‘mate..I don’t want to hurt you, but I will. Leave it. They don’t pay you enough to deal with me …’.

They're stealing booze and meat for it's resale value, so they can sell on and pocket the cash!