Independent shops in Liverpool forced to create their own security network to combat shoplifters in the city
20 September 2023, 10:36
A small business owner in Liverpool told LBC that independent shops in the city centre have taken to creating their own security WhatsApp group, warning each other of shoplifters in the area.
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Bold Street is one of Liverpool’s busiest and most popular streets. It’s home to many independent businesses, bars, restaurants, and shops selling an array of items.
But one business owner says shop theft has gone up by at least 25% this year alone and claims to have lost hundreds of pounds in the last few weeks alone through shoplifting.
Matta’s International Food is a family-run business, which has had a home on Bold Street for four decades. Its owner, Dalip Matta, says the vast majority of small businesses can’t afford dedicated security staff, so they’ve created a WhatsApp group to help each other.
Mr Matta told LBC's North West Reporter: “Bold Street stores, they collaborate together. There’s like a WhatsApp group and stuff.
“They send pictures of people they’ve caught, or they’re suspicious or they’ve seen them rob through CCTV cameras.
“So that is going around at the moment, it’s a Bold Street WhatsApp group, along with some other shops. We’ve got together to see what we can do and help each other. That’s how it is.
“It is an issue and, obviously, it's coming up to Christmas so hopefully it won’t get any worse. We’re going to have to be more vigilant, buckle our belts up and get through this.”
Mr Matta started working at the shop as a teenager on the shop floor in the 90’s, before taking over the running of the shop from his father.
He says he does get angry and upset that people steal from his shop, but ultimately feels sorry for people that they have to resort to these drastic measures in order to get by.
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Mr Matta has had to rearrange parts of his shop to try and control the problem.
“We’ve actually had to move a few things around the store and behind the counter because we had a few people come in just for certain, particular things like high-end drinks and stuff like that.
“That started early on in the year, and recently, just a few weeks ago, we had a big range of organic cleaning products imported from America which are quite expensive.
“We had a couple hundred quid’s worth taken in a couple of days. They came, we replenished, and then they came back again the next day.
“The amount of thieving has gone up quite a lot, at least 25%.”
