13-05-2025
12 people charged in intense crackdown on Glasgow retail crime
Police Scotland officers were joined by members of Retailers Against Crime (RAC) to tackle a surge in shoplifting.
During their "most successful" exercise to date, individuals were charged with offences including shoplifting and drug possession.
A team of 31 plain-clothed and uniformed cops, including two from British Transport Police, spent the day on the streets of Glasgow focusing on the most prolific retail crime offenders.
(Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital)
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One security officer, who joined the Day of Action, said: 'The overall consensus was that it was a phenomenal day with a real sense of camaraderie and good results in terms of deterring several people from shoplifting.
'I've been involved in the RAC Days of Action for about five years now, I've attended every one and this was the best yet.
"They have evolved into something very important and make a real dent in the criminality we see in the city centre, which has increased massively in recent years.
'It gives retailers more confidence to see people getting caught and arrested.'
Figures from the British Retail Consortium's annual crime survey released earlier this year highlighted how retail crime is 'spiralling out of control' with 55,000 thefts a day across the UK – an all-time high - and violent and abusive incidents rising by 50% last year.
RAC figures also detail how incidents of violent crime are surging, with 1674 reported to the organisation by members during 2024 from a total of 11,890 offences.
Stephanie Karté (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Newsquest)
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Stephanie Karté, national operations manager at RAC, said: 'This was our most successful Day of Action so far with an outstanding turnout from retailers and our partners.
"A good number of offenders were prevented from shoplifting and causing anti-social behaviour on the day.
'Days like these are so important and they brought police, security staff and retailers together to build relationships and help fight the ongoing battle against retail crime, which is a substantial problem and can seem extremely overwhelming.'
Natasa Wilson, RAC intelligence co-ordinator, added: 'Our latest Day of Action was the best one yet. It reflected the precise planning which goes into the day from us and Police Scotland and the great partnership and support we receive from our members and security companies.'
(Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) (Image: Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital) As part of our series The Cost of Crime, the Glasgow Times previously joined cops and security officers during a day of action in November 2024.
They revealed that organised gangs use sophisticated tactics to target shops.
We also revealed that between December 1, 2024, and January 8, 2025, 49 people were arrested and taken into custody or charged in connection with retail thefts, with a total of 61 incidents recorded by officers in that period.
It comes as a dedicated shoplifting team was established in the city centre.
