BRITAIN’S “chaotic” shoplifting capital has left Greggs staff needing panic buttons.
The stretch of land between Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool and has become a haven for thieves – stealing nearly £200 of goods from the bakery chain alone every day.
GettyGreggs has been targeted by shoplifters in the area, stealing hundreds of pounds worth of items each day[/caption]
Glen MinikinSan Bhogal, the owner of the One Stop shop in Gledhow, Leeds, has also been targeted by shoplifters[/caption]
Glen MinikinCCTV pictures of a shoplifter tackled by shop worker Niall Stranix[/caption]
The historic county of Cleveland has the highest shoplifting rate in the country as the prominence of the crime continues to soar nationally.
Shopkeepers are losing out on thousands of pounds, with Greggs staff in Middlesbrough high street now equipped with panic buzzers.
Manager Lynne told The Mirror: “It’s rife, they’ll come in and help themselves to the sandwiches, they’ll take the doughnuts, they’ll take a handful of sausage rolls.
“It’s absolutely disgusting. They’re abusive and nasty. One of my colleagues was hit and punched by a woman when he tried to confront her.
“And I had to press my panic button the other week when a man came in and swept up all the sandwiches and threw the metal tray on the floor.”
Staff at a nearby Tesco Express have also had to board up an exit as it was so often used by thieves to escape.
And police are fighting a losing battle due to so many lags re-offending upon their release from prison.
Many, police say, steal to fund their drug habit.
It comes as shoplifting in the UK is now said to be at “epidemic levels” after the crime rose by 25 per cent in the past year.
Police recorded a total of 365,164 offences as stores are increasingly targeted.
Retailers say that police have, in effect, decriminalised shoplifting by not investigating offences if goods taken are worth under £200.
A security guard at a local discount store said they were being “constantly assaulted” and was dealing with shoplifters up to seven times every day.
Managers at some stores have moved their pricier goods closer to the tills as a deterrent.
Another shop manager told of how they had their hand broken last year after attempting to prevent a thief from fleeing her store.
A 2014 law change means thefts below that figure should be treated as a summary offence, with a £70 penalty notice handed out rather than the thief going to court.
But shopkeepers say the four-week prison sentence handed to offenders is not nearly a deterrent.
It comes as small shopkeepers have been begging MPs and police to take more action against the deepening issue.
Often unable to afford dedicated security guards, family businesses sometimes feel compelled to tackle shoplifters themselves to protect their livelihoods.
This includes grafters such as Saj Bhogal, whose Leeds corner shop has been targeted by robbers armed with an imitation gun and a samurai sword, as well as shoplifters waving hypodermic needles.
The dad-of-three, 55, told The Sun: “I chase after any shoplifters if I see them, I wear trainers to get my stuff back.
“They’re not just robbing me but taking money from my kids.”
Earlier this month a group of have-a-heroes swooped on suspected shoplifters loading up their car with stolen groceries as members of the public are forced to take matters into their own hands.
Footage emerged showing three men throwing shopping into their car in a Tesco’s car park in Waltham Abbey, Essex.
But before they could drive away, a group of men stormed the vehicle and started demanding the gang get out of the car.
Cleveland Police says officers are proactively preventing, reducing and catching regular shoplifters.
A statement added: “”Efforts are also made to arrest the top five shoplifters each week, and officers regularly carry out problem solving work to prevent reoffending by making applications for Criminal Behaviour Orders.
“The Neighbourhood Teams take part in regular weeks of action to target retail crime, in shopping centres and engagement activity with both retailers and shoppers.”
Kevin DunnettPadlocks on a fridge in a Greggs store targeted by shoplifters[/caption]
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