Shoplifting: a growing problem?

Shoplifting is an under-reported crime, costing UK retailers £2.2 million every yea.  This week the Evening Post reported on the troubling exponential rise of shoplifting offences in Nottingham. However, the more worrying statistic than the 25% escalation in crimes from April to August, was the mere 58.8% police detection rate.

The problem however, does not lie with the police. Nottinghamshire Police Crime Commissioner, Paddy Tipping has spoken out in defense of the crime fighting operations currently undertaken by the Nottingham constabulary, operations that have brought theft offences in the county down 8% since 2012.

"We are working with all the stores that get the most shop lifting to improve their security, improving lay out, discussing what floor staff do when they see shop lifting taking place.

"I think retailers should be very concered and the customers should be concerned too because the consequences of increased shoplifting is increased prices because you've got to cover the cost."

The problem for the police however, is prioritization. Chasing up poorly reported crimes with little evidence saps man-power, time and resources that the force simply cannot spare. Retailers often fail to detain shoplifters in the store and, as Shaun Ostle, Nottinghamshire Police's Chief Inspector, explained, as soon as offenders disappear through the shop's automatic doors they are 'unknown and untraceable'.

So, is shoplifting a crime that we as a city are simply unable to effectively combat? It seems not. The Nottingham Business Improvement District are just one of many groups working to unite shops against the problem. Jeff Allen, chairman of the Nottingham BID has spoken of a co-operative effort by his organization and the police to clamp down on shoplifters, reassuring retailers and customers, "there are already a number of new initiatives in place but more are planned". One such project that has been undertaken by the organization has involved the formation of an extensive catalogue of known offenders to be shared amongst the staff of shops across the county.

Exactly who should shoulder majority responsibilty for the combat of this crime is unclear. However, it seems as though retailers are stepping forward to fight the problem themselves. 78.5% of detained and arrested shoplifters are put before magistrates and Ostle argues that the police's role should be to aid shop-owners in tackling their own problem. Retailers in the city centre have reacted to the announcement positively, saying they would welcome more training to deal with thieves.

The city has seen the fourth biggest rise in shop thefts in the UK, but a 7.3% decrease in reports since September. Has shoplifting become an offence that is widely accepted or ignored by society? Or is somebody or something to blame?

Contact email: ciaranjgreen@gmail.com