Retailer Voices Concerns Over Crime
Listed under: News
Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Craft shops could see shoplifting offences soar as the credit crunch forces a growing number of people to turn to crime, according to recent claims by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Currently, a third of a million shoplifting offences take place every year. Despite figures showing a 26% drop in theft levels since April 2007, the BRC believe the impending recession could prompt a significant rise in crime.
Last month, a high street art and craft shop in Eastwood was the victim of a burglary within days of opening, losing £1,000 worth of stock. Shoplifting is currently the greatest threat to craft shop owners, presently accounting for 64% of all retail crime losses. The last recession saw levels of crime rise dramatically and the BRC has expressed fears this could happen again.
"The falls in retail crime revealed by the survey are not enough and cannot be taken for granted,” says BRC's director general Stephen Robertson. “Day and night, seven days a week, someone steals from a shop every 90 seconds. With the economic slowdown worsening, retailers deserve Government and police support in their battle to stop the human and financial costs rising again."
Linda Robinson of Llinda's Greeting Cards & Craft Accessories in Nottinghamshire agrees more needs to be done. “While most of my customers are regulars and people I know well, I have experienced some trouble with kids taking things,” she explains. “I've had to put a sign up saying I can only allow one child into the store at a time and though I haven't noticed a significant rise in crime so far this year, it is something I feel concerned about. I wouldn't really know what to do in a situation like that, other than call the police. I think retailers need to be given more information about what they can do to avoid crime and also where they should go to report it.”
Last month, a high street art and craft shop in Eastwood was the victim of a burglary within days of opening, losing £1,000 worth of stock. Shoplifting is currently the greatest threat to craft shop owners, presently accounting for 64% of all retail crime losses. The last recession saw levels of crime rise dramatically and the BRC has expressed fears this could happen again.
"The falls in retail crime revealed by the survey are not enough and cannot be taken for granted,” says BRC's director general Stephen Robertson. “Day and night, seven days a week, someone steals from a shop every 90 seconds. With the economic slowdown worsening, retailers deserve Government and police support in their battle to stop the human and financial costs rising again."
Linda Robinson of Llinda's Greeting Cards & Craft Accessories in Nottinghamshire agrees more needs to be done. “While most of my customers are regulars and people I know well, I have experienced some trouble with kids taking things,” she explains. “I've had to put a sign up saying I can only allow one child into the store at a time and though I haven't noticed a significant rise in crime so far this year, it is something I feel concerned about. I wouldn't really know what to do in a situation like that, other than call the police. I think retailers need to be given more information about what they can do to avoid crime and also where they should go to report it.”
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