Local Oxfordshire business owner says they've seen a significant rise in shoplifting
Figures show nearly a quarter of the UK population (24%) have witnessed shoplifting
A local business owner in Oxfordshire says they've seen a significant rise in people stealing from their shop, which has left her crying and wanting to close the shop for a few days.
Figures show nearly a quarter of the UK population (24%) have witnessed shoplifting taking in the last 12 months, which is equivalent to over 16 million people.
"I feel like someone's robbing from my home"
The research comes as the UK experiences record levels of retail crime with 20 million incidents of theft last year, and incidents of violence and abuse climbing to over 2,000 per day.
Charlotte Martell owns Craft Emporium, which has four shops across Oxfordshire including in Oxford.
She said: “I definitely have seen an increase in shoplifting in the last few months in particular, but especially over the last year as a whole. We've had the shops for five years now and we've never seen it so bad.
“People just take whatever they like and it happens on a weekly basis at the moment.”
Ms Martell also says, “there's several times I've just. I've had to look up the shop and just cry in the basement, to be honest, because I feel like someone's robbing from my home.
“I definitely feel hard up by it. So, I just want to kick the bucket and just close the shop down completely for a few days”.
It’s estimated crime cost retailers around £4.2bn last year. This includes £2.2bn from shoplifting, and another £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras.
The government is currently taking action to address retail crime through the new Crime and Policing Bill.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Seeing incidents of theft or abuse has become an all-too-common part of the shopping experience for many people.
“While an incident can be over in a matter of seconds, it can have life-long consequences on those who experience it, making them think twice about visiting their local high streets. Criminals are becoming bolder and more aggressive, and decisive action is needed to put an end to it.”
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