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Economic downturn results in rise in shoplifting

January 29, 2010 by admin  
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The economic downturn has apparently led to an increase in shoplifting activity in the UK according to a recent report. Figures have shown that retailers have seen a sharp rise in shoplifting activities over the course of the recession. The figures formed part of the latest crime survey by the British Retail Consortium, which revealed that between 2008 and 2009 shoplifting activities had increased by around one third.

Alarmingly the report also showed that during this period the level and incidents of violence against shop staff had also increased, and this has led to retailers calling on the police authorities to provide them with a greater level of protection. According to the BRC there were almost half a million thefts, and this equated to almost one per minute, coming to a cost of a whopping £1.1 billion to the retail industry.

Officials from the BRC have said that whilst the figures area already bad they could, in actual fact, be even worse as many crime tend to go unreported and would therefore not form part of the figures.

Stephen Robertson from the BRC claimed that authorities are failing to take store crime seriously enough, and that more needed to be done to protect retailers from violent crime and theft. This comes after around twenty two thousand staff members across the nation said that they had been targeted by customers.

Robertson stated: “It’s shocking that a shop theft happens almost every minute, 24 hours a day… The police and criminal justice system must take retail theft more seriously.”

He added: “Whatever the motivation, shoplifting is never victimless or acceptable. The cash costs are met by honest customers who end up paying more and the human costs by shop staff who intervene.”

Tags: Shoplifting, Crimes, theft, Ethics, Criminal law

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