'Brazen and violent gangs' lead shoplifting spree at Co-op as bosses call for more help from police

27 July 2023, 09:28

"Brazen and violent" criminal gangs, as well as drug addicts, are behind a huge rise in shoplifting at Co-op stores, company bosses have said.

Shoplifting has reached record levels at Co-op locations across the country, with an average of nearly 1,000 incidents each day in the first half of this year - an increase of 35%.

One shop in inner London was looted three times in a single day.

Physical assaults on front-line store workers have risen 30% year-on-year, with anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse rising by a fifth (20%).

Shockingly, police often failed to respond to reports of shoplifting - 71% of serious retail crime callouts were not responded to, the company said.

Read more: 'But then I have to deal with it': PCSO slammed for 'cowardice' after refusing to intervene in 'shop brawl'

Read more: Mum-of-three 'attacked' trying to stop shoplifters blasts PCSO who refused to intervene 'as then I have to deal with it'

Police Commissioner for Sussex 'frustrated' by the PCSO who refused to attend a shoplifting incident

This has led to an environment where criminals feel they have "freedom to loot", bosses warned, as they called for more help from police.

Matt Hood, Co-op Food managing director, said: "We know retail crime is driven by repeat and prolific offenders and, organised criminal gangs. It is an ongoing challenge for all retailers, and in the worst instances can even be described as ‘looting’.

"I have seen some horrific incidents of brazen and violent theft in our stores, where my store colleagues feel scared and threatened. I see first-hand how this criminal behaviour also erodes the very fabric of our communities - it’s hard to over-emphasise how important urgent change is."

Mr Hood added: "We need the police to play their part. Too often, forces fail to respond to desperate calls by our store teams, and criminals are operating in communities without any fear of consequences."

Tory Peer's warning on danger of ignoring crimes like shoplifting

Phillip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Customer Service, said that the police's "patchy" response record was "simply not good enough".

"Our frontline workers deserve far better," he added. "It is no good having stricter laws in place to punish offenders if the police are not properly investigating these crimes and ensure perpetrators are punished.

"Those police forces with the worst record need to find out what those with the best record what they are doing and ensure they bring themselves up to the same standard."