Lancashire Police advises greeting customers deters shoplifters
In July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were 530,643 reported shoplifting offences in the year to March, which is a 20% increase from the previous year.British Retailers Association director Tom Ironside said the ONS figures "prove what retailers have long been telling us - that retail theft is spiralling out of control".He said such theft triggered violence and abuse towards staff and cost retailers and customers £2.2bn a year.
'Aggressive when challenged'
Lancashire Police issued the advice to retailers in an online guide - Securing your shop from shoplifters - as part of Operation Vulture, which tackles shoplifting."If a thief thinks they've been spotted they're more likely to leave," the guide said.But it also urged caution as "shoplifters could respond aggressively when challenged".It advised staff to keep a safe distance, ask if the person needed help or a basket, and to step away and alert a manager or security if they felt uncomfortable.
The force also warned that thieves targeted stores where there was only one member of staff, "so have a few members of staff and make sure they're trained in how to spot shoplifters".It said Operation Vulture also involved hotspot patrols, increased visibility in targeted areas, and working with retailers to understand retail crime and identify offenders.
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