Don't put expensive items at front of your shops, Labour tells shopkeepers
Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said products such as bottles of alcohol should not be displayed at the front of stores because people will steal them.
It comes amid growing pressure on the police to tackle a shoplifting epidemic, with a record high of nearly three thefts carried out every minute in the year to March.
Retailers have accused police of failing to do enough to tackle the problem. Last week, it was revealed that a store owner in North Wales who put up a sign criticising 'scumbags shoplifting' was told by police to consider changing the wording because it was offensive.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Dame Diana said: 'I think we need to have that neighbourhood police presence. I think stores need to play their part in making sure that items that are high value are not at the front of the store because that is an issue in some stores, that they put bottles of alcohol at the front of the store which obviously people will nick.
'If they are going to steal to resell they will nick items like that. So I think it is not just one thing here, it has to be an approach with the retailers, with the Government and with the police to work together.'
Dame Diana also warned against members of the public stepping in to confront and tackle shop thieves as she said it was not 'appropriate'.
Earlier this week, Matthew Barber, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, said the public had a duty to stand up to shoplifters rather than relying solely on police officers.
But Dame Diana said: 'I would not advise people to tackle an individual who was stealing. I came across someone stealing in a store in Hull.
'I went straight to the assistant to tell them what was happening. I felt that was the best thing to do.
'Obviously it is a judgement for individuals to take but I am worried about people feeling they need to have a go. I don't think that is appropriate.'
The issue of shoplifting has risen to prominence in recent days after The Telegraph disclosed that Rob Davies, a North Wales shopkeeper, had put up a handwritten note in his store following repeated thefts that read: 'Due to scumbags shoplifting, please ask for assistance to open cabinets.'
But officers from North Wales Police attended his retro shop in Wrexham and told him to consider changing the wording because it was offensive.
It has also emerged that the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has advised retailers that putting up images of thieves in a local area 'may not be appropriate' because it could violate suspects' data rights.
The row prompted searching questions about what the Government was doing to stop shoplifting, the approach taken by police and what role, if any, members of the public should play.
Retailers have accused police of failing to do enough to tackle the problem.
Richard Walker, the executive chairman of the Iceland supermarket chain, said on Wednesday morning that every part of the country was now affected by serious crime in shops and it was getting worse because offenders appeared to be able to act with 'impunity'.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'We now have over 1,000 serious incidents a year, serious incidents being marauding gangs, violent assaults, needles, knives, hammers, you name it.
'I go through our weekly serious incidents report every Monday morning and it is clear that firstly there is now no area of the country unaffected by this issue, it happens everywhere from small market towns through to big inner cities.
'But secondly, and importantly, there is an impunity, an increasing level of violence that is caused by a lack of deterrent.'
Mr Walker also criticised the ICO after it said putting up images of thieves in a local area, such as in shop windows, 'may not be appropriate' behaviour.
He said: 'I have encouraged all of my colleagues to do so and I take the rap if anyone gets into trouble. I think it is completely ridiculous.
'And it gets more ridiculous. I saw a case this week of a shopkeeper in Wrexham being told off for insulting shoplifters in his window because he called them scumbags.
'Well, I will tell you: They are scumbags. I think we have reached the point where the law abiding feel like they are the ones on trial while the lawless get away with it.'
Last September Dame Diana had her purse stolen while delivering a speech to senior officers about an 'epidemic' of theft.
The Labour MP was giving a presentation at the Police Superintendents' Association (PSA) annual conference in Warwickshire when the theft took place.
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