Shop staff being put at risk by Labour’s Christmas shoplifting spike | Politics | News

Store staff are facing a theft epidemic this Christmas as new figures reveal the rate of unsolved thefts has reached a new record. Shoplifting has increased by 65% ​​in just five years, reaching a new record with 810 crimes unsolved every day, according to new research.

An eye-watering 295,589 burglaries were committed without a suspect being identified last year, analysis of House of Commons library data has shown. Despite security cameras both inside and outside stores, only 19% of thefts this year led to a suspect being charged or summoned. The staggering rate has sparked warnings that tradespeople and staff are being put at risk; because they have to solve the problem on their own without the help of the police.

The Liberal Democrats have called for the introduction of “mass CCTV” to be rolled out, with funding for small shops to install modern cameras to increase detection rates of thieves.

LibDem MP Josh Reynolds, who previously worked in retail at the Co-op, said staff were “forced to intervene, even putting themselves in harm’s way to protect their jobs”.

“This Christmas, thousands of private store staff will be left in fear, dreading their shifts as a result of facing possible abuse and even violence from thieves.

“Many small businesses put blood, sweat and tears into their products, but this careless crime is taking them away. The government must do everything it can to protect them and heed our calls for the mass rollout of CCTV.”

The party’s business spokesperson Sarah Olney said its proposals for CCTV grants and loans would “give businesses the tools they need to protect themselves and tackle this crime once and for all”.

This month the Home Office announced a “winter action” to curb crime and antisocial behavior in city centres.

Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood warned that theft and other crimes were “tearing apart the fabric of our society” and promised more bobbies to help catch criminals.

It followed a similar plan over the summer, which increased police visibility and led to increased public confidence in city centres.

The Safer Streets Summer program saw Greater Manchester Police monitor a 20% drop in shoplifting and other forms of theft, while arrests for shoplifting rose by 30% in the Thames Valley.

But the creaking justice system has led to an explosion in the time it takes to handle a theft case.

Figures show it now takes 59 days for a case to be completed from criminal offense to completion in magistrates’ court, up from 32 days in 2014.

Labor condemned the rates of shoplifting and the effective immunity for shoplifting under £200 under the previous government.

The rule was introduced amid claims the Conservative Party’s Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 would free up resources and provide “faster justice for retailers” by increasing the number of police-led investigations.

This year the British Retail Consortium said the clause had led to “the perception among some retailers that some police forces do not view shoplifting as a ‘real’ crime, especially if it is worth less than £200”.

Detention rates for prolific thieves who have been convicted at least 15 times are also at record lows.

Nearly six in 10 of these career criminals escaped prison last year, according to the Justice Department; only 41% received prison sentences.

One example of this involved a woman who escaped from prison and helped steal £145,000 worth of goods from Tesco.

Retailers estimate that 70 percent of thefts in their stores are committed by just 10 percent of criminals.

The Conservative Party’s shadow Justice Secretary, Robert Jenrick, argued that it was “no surprise that shoplifting is at record levels when there are no consequences for these scumbags”.

“These prolific criminals need to be locked up so we can protect our people and reduce crime rates. But Labor is doing the opposite. They are ending short prison sentences for thieves and releasing people in prison early.”

Shoplifting is estimated to cost retailers £2bn last year, adding around £133 to each family’s shopping bill.