James Spencer MPhil MBCI’s Post

Retail crime is on the rise, and with it violent and abusive incidents towards shopworkers. Is the Retail Crime Action Plan enough to tackle this! or do you need our help to "Target Strengthen Your Store" from Safetell Ltd? #staffprotection #securityscreens #securitydoors #cashprotection #retail [email protected] It’s 10 years since the police walked away from retail crime. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014 meant any shoplifting below £200 in value did not need to be investigated. At least that’s how the police interpreted it. The result has been soaring retail theft, violence and abuse towards shopworkers, made only worse by the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. But terrifying scenes captured on CCTV shamed the ex-government into action, resulting in the launch of the Retail Crime Action Plan last October – a government strategy aimed at bringing together retailers and police to tackle the rise of shoplifting and the often violent incidents that come with it at last. So one year on, what difference has the plan made, if any? Is the police finally taking retail crime seriously? And what more needs to be done on both sides to crack down on this plague? One thing is for sure: the statistics are criminal: according to the BRC’s Retail Crime Survey 2024, shop theft more than doubled to 16.7 million incidents in 2023, while acts of violence and abuse towards staff – often triggered by encounters with thieves – were up 50% to 1,300 incidents a day. Shopworkers have been spat on, threatened with HIV-infected needles, held at knifepoint, followed home and more, the survey found. Yet police have consistently ignored retail incidents, with 61% of retailers rating police responses as poor or very poor, up from 44% the previous year, the BRC survey found. This lack of action also makes retailers reluctant to report incidents, says BRC assistant director of regulatory affairs Graham Wynn. “And if the police do respond, there are seldom adequate consequences for perpetrators.”

Shoplifting reached an all-time high with 20 million incidents last year, according to the British Retail ConsortiumRetail crime has reached record levels and is “spiralling out of control”, with shop workers increasingly facing threats, assaults and racial and sexual abuse, a survey has found. More than 2,000 daily incidents of ­violence and abuse were reported across the UK in the year to April 2024, up from 1,300 the year before. Theft reached an “all-time high” with 20 million incidents last year, costing retailers £2.2 billion, up £400 million on the 2023 figures, according to the British Retail Consortium, a trade association for UK retail businesses

The British Retail Consortium report confirms what we’ve been hearing from businesses for some time—shoplifting and retail crime continue to rise - putting livelihoods and people at risk. But in places where businesses, police, and stakeholders work together, we’re seeing real progress. Through our work locally with retailers we’ve seen firsthand the impact these crimes have on businesses and their staff. Theft isn’t just about financial loss; it’s often linked to organised crime and too frequently comes with threats and violence, which is never acceptable. In #London, we are working together for better reporting, a targeted police response and robust intelligence sharing, and these efforts are making a difference. Hannah Wadey CEO said “Through our work locally with retailers and police, we’ve seen how targeted action can make a change. In areas where we come together, we’re seeing positive results—more reporting, stronger responses, and a clear message that crime won’t be tolerated”. The Safer Business Network team will continue to encourage our members to report these crimes. With increased reporting we can continue to build a true picture of the problem and secure the action needed to tackle it. For more information about our services and training click here https://lnkd.in/dpZNNtyy #RetailCrime #Shoplifting #ShopworkerSafety #SaferBusiness #ZeroTolerance Adam Ratcliffe Rachelle O'Sullivan Mohammed Qazi Taylor Jade Mann Balazs Csanadi Patrick Holdaway Professor Emmeline Taylor PhD Darren Watson Helen Clayton BA (Hons) Michael Pearce GCGI MBCI National Association of Business Crime Partnerships Ltd NBCS - National Business Crime Solution National Business Crime Centre Business Crime Hub, Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police City of London Police Association of Convenience Stores British BIDs https://lnkd.in/eqAVsS6J

"Stop Crime Against Retailers" Campaign Urges Immediate Government Action as Crime Escalates Across Ireland. 100% of Irish Retailers Surveyed Report Being Targeted by Crime in the Past Year: CSNA Demands Urgent Action Tuesday, 22nd October 2024 A ShelfLife Magazine campaign, "Stop Crime Against Retailers", will host a conference at Fallon & Byrne in Dublin, tomorrow, October 23rd. The campaign and conference are calling for immediate government action to combat the alarming rise in crime threatening retailers nationwide. The event, spearheaded by ShelfLife in partnership with the CSNA (Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association), will highlight the urgent need for stronger legislative protections and enhanced Garda response times, as criminal activity continues to cripple the retail sector. A recent ShelfLife retailer survey has revealed that 100% of retailers have experienced criminal activity in the past year, ranging from shoplifting and violent robbery to employee theft and gang intimidation. The findings also indicate that 89% of retailers feel these crimes are becoming more dangerous, underscoring the escalating risks to both businesses and staff. The full research data will be shared with retailers and the trade at tomorrow's event. Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA, will tell the conference: "Retailers are the backbone of our communities, yet they are facing unprecedented levels of crime that threaten their livelihoods. We are calling on the government to act immediately. This isn’t just about theft; it’s about the safety of our business owners, staff, and customers. It’s time to introduce stronger protections." John McDonald, Publisher of ShelfLife, commented:"Retailers are facing a crime epidemic, from shoplifting to violent assaults on staff. The government must act now to ensure faster justice and stronger protections for businesses that are integral to our communities." The event will be attended by more than 100 retailers, along with key figures such as Emer Higgins, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Jim O'Callaghan, TD, Fianna Fáil, and Padraic Jones, Chief Superintendent of An Garda Síochána (Legislation & Crime Response). These officials will liste to the concerns of the retail community, who are facing increasing threats to their businesses, staff, and customers.

How Shoplifting Became an Epidemic in the UK Today I saw a young woman passing from section to section in a biig store, grabbing clothes, underwear, and avoiding the fitting room. She was wandering inside the shop for at least 30 minutes, hands full, and apparently not worried about the surveillance. At some point, she simply ran! And was caught immediately. This made me think about all nonsense of this situation, and find out that it is an epidemic in the UK. In 2023, according to the Crime Report provided by the Association of Convenience Stores, the number of similar cases reached to 1.1 million incidents. In 2024, local shops reported a staggering 5.6 million incidents of shop theft. A record. over the last year. The British Retail Consortium also conducted an annual survey. In 2023 , were nearly 1 billion lost to customer theft. In 2024, shoplifters caused in the first months, 2 billion pounds in financial impact. The retail industry had to invest in technologies and strategies to prevent the crime. Security staff alert with surveillance devices but… they cannot do much. The rule is: protect staff and merchandise. The government decided to make tougher penalties for serial and abusive shoplifters, as such as up to 6 months in prison, fines, and bans from returning to the scene of their crimes. Assaulting a retail worker is now a standalone criminal offense. The causes for this epidemic vary from psychological issues to bad behaviour and financial struggle. But they still burning the electronic security devices, shifting pieces inside the store or simply grabbing and running. And what happened to the young woman that I saw shoplift today? She dropped the clothes on the street while she ran away. Will she try it again?

So, what level of Retail Crime (shoplifting) would be considered to be ‘Acceptable’? With retail crime at significantly alarming levels across AU, NZ, & across the globe, the high incidence of theft & violence in a retail environment seems to be finally garnering the attention of governments. Whilst this is great news for retailers, & very much long overdue, there are two important issues to be considered; 1️⃣ One of the most interesting elements in this conversation is that it is likely that only 10% of shop theft is formally reported each year to our policing agencies. That’s right…up to 90% of the real incidents of theft are not reported to police. The underreporting of crime to police (not just retail) is a considerable issue in AU & NZ. In part, this can be attributed to two key factors: ➡️ There is often an apathy from retailers that retail crime reporting isn’t worth it, as it isn’t always taken seriously by police agencies, & offenders receive a ‘slap on the wrist’. So, many retailers feel like there isn’t any point. Alarmingly, this is also the case in many places where aggression & violence occurs so often that it is accepted as the norm, & isn’t reported. ➡️ For larger enterprise size retailers, reporting is often undertaken on non police reporting platforms which do not integrate with police reporting systems. Typically, a retail team member will only report internally, & not externally to Police…hence approx. 90% of the crime going unreported. 2️⃣ Aside from theft reporting issues, the biggest concern in all of this is the growing incidence of violence (both physical & psychological) against retail teams. Sadly, the statistics show that 80% of the violence / aggression against team is during theft intervention! We all want to reduce or stop retail crime, but the reality is that our team are often contributing to the aggression & assaults…& this urgently needs to be halted. It is understandable that team can take theft personally, but for any retail leader, the significantly more personal outcome is when team escalate a situation to get back a chocolate bar, stop a trolley, search a bag, or argue over a refund, & they are harmed. What can be done: ✅ Continue to build strategies for deterring retail crime. Whether this is: - Increased security technology to deter & enhance reporting opportunities - Better trained & remunerated Security Guards (& potentially more powers) - Community policing deployments & operations in shopping centres. ✅ Improve training: - Communications & Dealing with Conflict sessions. - More effective eLearning. ✅Coordinated strategies across shopping centres. There is no level of retail crime that should be acceptable, but more importantly…There is absolutely no level of aggression & violence that is acceptable…one incident is one too many. #retail #crime #shoppingcentre #violence Workforce Resilience https://lnkd.in/gRFPrsnT

Retail crime "spiralling out of control" Retail violence and abuse increased over 50% to more than 2,000 incidents a day Losses from customer theft reached a record £2.2 billion in 2023/24 Record crime levels come despite retailers spending £1.8 billion on prevention Retail crime is at its highest level on record, according to new figures released today from the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Annual Crime Survey. The survey reveals incidents of violence and abuse in 2023/24 climbed to over 2,000 per day, up from 1,300 the year before. This is more than three times what it was in 2020, when there were just 455 incidents a day. Incidents included racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons. There were 70 incidents per day which involved a weapon, more than double the previous year. With the total number of incidents continuing to grow, and their nature becoming increasingly aggressive, satisfaction with the police remains low, with 61% of respondents describing the police response to incidents as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Of the remaining, 29% rated the response as ‘fair’, a further 6% said good, and 3% described it as ‘excellent’, the first time in five years that any retailers have rated it as such. Theft also reached an all-time high with over 20 million incidents (over 55,000 per day) costing retailers £2.2 billion in 2023/24 (up from £1.8 billion the previous year). Many more incidents are linked to organised crime, with gangs systematically targeting stores across the country, stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods and rotating around multiple stores. Unsurprisingly, the amount spent on crime prevention is also at a record high, with retailers investing £1.8 billion on measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras, up from £1.2 billion the previous year. This takes the total cost of crime to an eye-watering £4.2 billion, up from £3.3 billion. And adds to the wider cost pressures retailers already face, further limiting investment and pushing up prices for customers everywhere. The Labour Government has pledged to address the rise in retail crime through stronger measures to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behavior, including removing the £200 threshold of ‘low level’ theft. They also announced in the King’s Speech they would introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker. Retailers will be looking closely at the details of the Crime and Policing Bill to ensure that its protections apply to all customer-facing retail workers, from those behind the till to delivery drivers.  #business #police #community #creatingsafercommunities #eliminatingthefearofcrime #brokenwindows

I spoke to the NZ Herald this week about the issue of retail crime, because it's something I care passionately about. I started my career in retail, and it's taught me many skills that have enabled me to get where I am today. Retailers see the highs and lows of our communities and it teaches those that work there how to relate with the full spectrum of society. But our behaviour towards service industries has changed as of late and its not getting better.   Retail staff should enjoy going to work, and not be scared about the customers they may have to deal with. I've heard from many other businesses that they are facing similar issues, as retail crime escalates. Retail crime isn’t just armed hold ups and theft, it’s any time a customer is abusive towards another person whether that’s verbal or physical – so I want to raise it up as a conversation worth talking about.    Two things can be true at one time, One NZ might have done something that annoys you, but equally the person who you’re talking to is just trying to do a good job and serve you.    I spoke about this issue for three main reasons:   1. We often see customers get angry when we ask for ID. We want customers to understand that when we ask for ID, it’s because we need to check you are who you say you are, as identify fraud is a concerning source of crime.   2. Generally, we’re seeing more customer angst, which is likely due to challenging economic conditions. We want to remind New Zealanders that our strength is in our people, and please be considerate of each other.   3. Retail is a great career and it’s worth fighting for. We think retail offers amazing career opportunities and I want everyone working in these jobs to feel safe at work. Retail stores are also an incredibly important way for us to support our customers, as a complement to online channels.   We all have a role to play in ensuring Aotearoa is a great place to live and work, which is why I’ve spoken out about the experiences we’re facing at One New Zealand, and the additional proactive security measures we’re putting in place.   https://lnkd.in/gzC8jZa8

Celebrating a win for California’s retail safety. Proposition 36 passed! 🎉 Proposition 36 rolls back parts of the controversial Proposition 47. Proposition 47, passed in 2014, was ironically called the “Safer Streets” proposition, even though it was designed to reduce jail overcrowding. It was meant to reverse historic tough-on-crime policies and divert money spent on incarceration to rehabilitation. The crime reform was well-intended but had unintended side effects for organized retail crime prevention. The proposition raised the felony threshold for prosecuting shoplifters to $950. Anyone caught for shoplifting under $950 would be cited with a ticket and released. It wasn’t a strong disincentive for repeat offenders. Ultimately, Prop 47 fueled a surge in commercial burglary (smash & grab) and shoplifting. It’s no surprise that 70.4% of voters approved the new proposition.. Under the new Proposition 36, people found guilty of shoplifting will now be more likely to face felony charges that were previously classified. Shoplifting under $950 is now punishable by up to three years if the offender has “two or more past convictions for certain theft crimes. It also increases potential punishment and jail sentences based on the total amount of goods stolen from prior incidents. Finally, it lengthens felony sentences by up to three years if at least three people jointly commit a theft or property crime or there is property damage. Congrats to all my ORC and LP friends who oversee stores in California! 

93 Gang Members Arrested Over UK Robberies British police arrested 93 members of 28 gangs responsible for robberies in shops and supermarkets across the United Kingdom, which resulted in losses of four million pounds (almost five million euros). During the operation, which began seven months ago, authorities mapped the areas of activity to understand where the gangs operated. Of the 93 detained, 32 have already appeared in court and five have been deported. Laura Miron, 27, Ovlliv Firan, 38, and Nicolae Boia, 30, all from west London, raided large supermarkets to steal razors, alcohol and other goods. They even stole champagne worth 4,500 pounds (5,457 euros). Surrey police, cited by Sky News, point to these three suspects as key figures in the organized crime gang, responsible for around 800 crimes across the country and which has since been dismantled. Sussex Police Commissioner Katy Bourne revealed that the operation had a "huge impact", also uncovering the involvement of gangs in crimes such as exploitation, human trafficking and slavery. The latest data on shoplifting in the United Kingdom, cited by Sky News, indicates that this crime has reached a new high this year in the last two decades, with a total of 469,788 crimes recorded until June 2024. An increase of 29% compared to the 365,173 registered in the previous 12 months. https://ift.tt/6ijXvWC