Forum Topic

Shoplifting

It seems this isn't just a Putney, or UK problem. Target in the US is closing a number of stores because of the high level of thefts, and concern about staff and customer safety - I assume "guests" are customers! - and presumably the rising costs of security.https://corporate.target.com/press/statement/2023/09/target-closes-select-stores-to-prioritize-team-member-and-guest-safetyWill companies close stores in the UK if this isn't addressed?

Michael Ixer ● 551d16 Comments

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Barbara Stevens ● 548d

All political parties support lockdown which put the U.K.into billions and billions of pounds of unnecessary debt which contributed to thousands more desperate people.

Paul Beer ● 549d

That Paul, is not true... The Govt with their crazy neo-liberal beliefs were busy running down all public services in the country. We were left with a Govt unable to act in the way a Govt should to protect its people when such a thing - an expected-sometime-pandemic- who were caught unprepared and didn't know what to do.  The UK should have have been shut down or had restrictions on large gatherings and access earlier.  Instead many people just sat there and watched in horror as the coronavirus came closer to our open borders with no restrictions on flights and no information given to passengers coming in. Other countries who had seen other respiratory viruses more recently (they were documented in newspapers and scientific journals and on news programmes) were far more prepared than we were. Perhaps those who found something useful to do like make scrubs and face masks survived better than many those who were unable to aid the medical staff - who were unprotected and spent so much time working with those who had the virus - than those who couldn't do anything at all.

Philippa Bond ● 549d

Millions of people lives were completely devastated because of lockdownsso now the people and county is much poorer.The people in many ways are to blame they followed orders didn’t question the rules, which we now know to have been of no use what so ever.Let’s all learn wake up and never let this happen again. P

Paul Beer ● 550d

Shops can only tolerate high crime for so long then they will close down.Unfortunately a lot of these issues have been imported from the USA where some blue states practically decriminalised shoplifting a few years ago. The democrats were locking people up for misdemeanors now they have turned a green light to shoplifting and all sorts of crime.

Ed Robinson ● 550d

And lots of people can speak languages other than English and do speak them in the street and sometimes because and where they don't want or hope that other people won't understand them.  When you speak to them in English and they want to answer you they will answer in English.  The Brits are famous for speaking very loudly and slowly and patronisingly to people speaking foreign languages...I'm sure staff have been told not to apprehend shoplifters for a long time because of the danger of injury.  There aren't enough police to cope as numbers have been run down (and then increased again but many new ones won't have the experience and knowledge of a lot of those who have left). Supermarkets have been cutting jobs which is bad news for the many part-time workers who are and were carers of young children, the elderly and the sick.Lots of supermarkets changed where they put the alcohol and cigarettes so that they are away from the entrances and exits and have security guards nearby.

Philippa Bond ● 550d

Yes, Barbara, shoplifting has been going on for years. It was normally every now and then.Today, shoplifting happens every day several times a day, almost as if it were routine.  In a Waitrose local near me, they have moved the baskets by the entrance to the middle of the shops.  Even so, people have left the shop with baskets full of food. In one morning, they had lost more than £9K...While shoplifting is not new, but the audacity today is shocking.

Ivonne Holliday ● 550d

I hope that the savings on costs of staffing are greater than the cost of the losses.And demoralised surviving staff are less likely to take any risks.

David Ainsworth ● 550d

on 2 occasions in recent months I have seen people stealing in Sainsbury by circumventing the self service tills, tag-teams both times.

Adam Tripp ● 550d

Don't you dare question me, I live in PUTNEY, My other half took a video on his phone waiting outside Sainsbury's for me. One even stopped him getting back into his vehicle by leaning on it. So he pushed him out of the ay, they were also drunk. Your so good going back 4 yrs onto a forum members post about the weather, rather creepy. Look it up. Even the Sainsbury's Security have them and the food stand outside.

Barbara Stevens ● 550d

'Foreigners' - what proof do you have of that?

Philippa Bond ● 550d

I already put on here a couple of weeks ago, about foreigners getting food on Monday's from the Werter Rd, Church, then 1 runs into Sainsbury's and pinches a box full of lagers just inside the door.  As for pinching it's not a new thing it's been going on for years. A man used to come in R.Dyas and put drills down his trousers. People used to pinch hoovers. M & S a man got caught putting clothes down his trousers the same man who got caught putting drills down them.  I got told people used to pinch all the time in Boot's, I was standing being served and a foreign woman, swiped stuff off the counter into her trolley.  Nothing changes, they are just using this as an excuse to shut shops.

Barbara Stevens ● 550d

Are they in intensive care ...

Michael Ixer ● 550d

Someone's just been jailed for stealing 798 Cadbury's creme eggs.  Just as well Easter is a lot earlier in the year when it's a bit cooler!

Philippa Bond ● 550d

It's a breakdown in society during the previous government. Cuts in police services, a failing NHS, disillusioned teachers and lecturers, inadequate housing, falling standards of living, ... last minute attempts to reverse those mistakes failed as experienced staff had left and they can't be replaced overnight. No wonder Sunak called a snap election to escape from the mess ... 

Michael Ixer ● 550d

It is so heartbreaking to read about all the shop lifting going on!It is almost like an epidemic! Grrrrr

Ivonne Holliday ● 551d