Police forces are not treating violent shoplifting assaults as a blue-light priority as offenders have already fled, according to an industry coalition.
A coalition made up of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the British Independent Retail Association, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Federation of Independent Retailers and the shopworkers’ union Usdaw has written a letter to police and crime commissioners in England and Wales demanding action.
The letter says: “We often see scenarios where violence against shopworkers is not responded to by the police because incidents do not meet forces’ threat, harm and risk criteria as offenders have left the premises after committing an offence.”
“In the vast majority, if not all, of retail businesses there will be CCTV footage available to support police lines of inquiry into violent incidents. Therefore, we would like to see the proactive collection of evidence prioritised by police forces,” the letter added.
‘Criminal Gangs Repeatedly Targeting Retailers’
He said: “Theft and abuse are a blight on communities, with addicts and criminal gangs repeatedly targeting hardworking retailers and their colleagues. These are not victimless crimes, and they must be investigated to bring the most prolific offenders to justice.”- To prioritise gathering evidence related to violent attacks.
- To make it easier for retailers to report crime and submit evidence.
- To identify the most prolific offenders, like forces in Nottinghamshire and Sussex who focus on collecting data on the worst shoplifters.
Crime Commissioner Understands Retailers’ ‘Frustration’
Ms. Bourne, who is the police and crime commissioner in Sussex, said: “I completely understand the sectors’ frustration and their concerns for their members. I’ve seen for myself the fear, the harm and the damage that too many shop staff and retailers are experiencing.”“From the many businesses I have met, it is sadly evident that, too often, the policing response they have received, assuming they got one, is not what they expect. However, we also cannot overlook the fact that police forces face a huge daily demand on their finite resources so they will have to prioritise a physical response based on the threat posed to staff and customers and the likelihood of catching up with the offender,” she added.