Shoplifting losses double in a year – British Retail Consortium

 16 April 2024 Police Commissioner Elections

BRC calls on Police and Crime Commissioner candidates to combat retail crime 16TH APRIL 2024 BY MAY GARLAND

Ahead of the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections on 2 May, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched a campaign urging candidates to take decisive action against spiralling retail crime. As part of its #GetToughonRetailCrime campaign, BRC calls on PCC candidates to commit to three key pledges. Firstly, the BRC urges candidates to prioritise retail crime in its Police and Crime Plans, emphasising the need for a collective effort to tackle this growing issue within regional policing strategies. Secondly, candidates are encouraged to support the implementation of a new standalone offence for assaulting retail workers.

The new legislation, introduced by government on 10 April, is anticipated to provide law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools to better understand the scale of the problem and allocate resources accordingly. Finally, the BRC is urging PCC candidates to allocate adequate resources for combating retail crime within their respective regions. Recent data from the BRC’s crime survey revealed that incidents rose to over 1,300 per day in 2022/23.

Furthermore, shoplifting continues to pose a significant challenge, with losses doubling to £1.8 billion last year alone, showing that decisive action is needed to address this trend. Retailers are playing their part in fighting retail crime, spending a record £1.2bn on crime prevention measures last year. The government has signalled its support, and now police forces in all corners of the country can step up and help protect the three million people in retail.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Inadequate police action has given criminals free rein to steal goods and assault retail colleagues. Newly elected PCCs have a fantastic opportunity to get tough on retail crime through the new standalone offence, and I hope the next wave of PCCs deliver the protections that those working in retail and our communities up and down the country deserve. ENDS

Candidate Comment – This is not quite as the incumbent claims. He has mentioned a 15% drop in the crime rate during his tenure – yet losses have doubled in just a year. Hmmmm! Both can’t be right surely.