Retail vendors say

Retail crime is “out of control” and shopkeepers are carrying out the rapid theft Brezen and violent acts because they are not afraid of any result, an industry body has told the BBC.

In some cases, criminals are openly cleaning the shelves of goods in the full scene of customers and shop workers – a strategy known as sometimes as “kamikez”.

In September for 12 months last year, the incidents of customer theft in the UK increased from 3.7 million to 20.4 million, and the cost of retailers £ 2BN.

These figures were published in the annual crime survey from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) today, which represents more than 200 major retailers.

According to BRC, violence and abuse against shopkeepers also increased by 50%, with more than 2,000 incidents per day.

It states that its survey was based on the samples of retailers representing more than 1.1 million employees and market business of over £ 194M.

In the incident of a “kamikez” at a phone store in Oxford Street, London, two people spent minutes kicking a phone stand in front of customers and shop workers.

It is believed that the phone stand included dummy phones, which could then be sold to customers online, believing that they were buying the real thing.

The Metropolitan police said the officials responded to the incident and discovered the area. They were unable to detect the suspects, despite the fact that they were captured the video. An investigation has been started since then.

According to BRC CEO Helen Dickinson, shoplifting is often motivated to steal by organized gangs and abusive criminals.

He said that criminals were getting more courageous because “they do not see that there is any result”.

“It is derogatory and out of control in many parts of the country.”

Social media is full of shoplifting videos, sometimes in front of shop workers and security officials.

Ms. Dicinson said that shop workers are often advised not to interfere as they risk attacking.

Shop owner Amit Pantambar said that he was suspected of stealing vapors of £ 75 from his Cambrisshire Store earlier this year.

He believes that the number of violent incidents has deteriorated in the last three years and has considered them to quit the business, which has been in his family for about 40 years.

“I don’t want to die at work,” he said. “When your employees are threatened with a hammer, when someone threatens to kill you who lives near your shop and the police does not take it seriously, what is the matter?”

Criminals know that the law is soft on shoplifting, Mr. Puntambekar believes, so suspects are committing crimes in plain vision.

Cambrisshire police said a 17 -year -old girl was accused of general attack and theft from a shop after the incident and would appear in court on 5 February.

The facility management firm Mitie supplies 10,000 security guards to the UK retail sector. It said that 10% of them were injured in the line of duty in 2024.

According to its Safety Director, Jason Toss, the shoplifters have become more fearless as the police resources have become more focused on the “high-profile” crime.

He said, “The main issue for why people are using that ‘kamikez’ approach is to scare allies and to intimidate employees.” “They also know that the police’s response is not what she used to be.”

Security guards do not have more powers to catch shopkeepers than other citizens. But Mr. Toss says that he is trained that the best to identify and respond to issues. They can also act as a visible preventive and share data and evidence with the police.

We asked 10 major retailers what their staff policies were to deal with violent or aggressive stealing shopkeepers.

Many people said that the safety of employees and customers was a priority, and he said that they had invested in security measures including increase in CCTV, body-wier cameras and security guards.

According to the Center for Retail Research, shoplifting adds £ 133 to the cost of a home shopping bill in Britain each year.

In 2023, the government launched a scheme, which set guidance to the police to deal with the issue – which involves prioritizing violent incidents or where a criminal has been caught. It also launched an intelligence -ecasion partnership between retailers, home office and policing – shopkeepers focused on dealing with gangs and abundant criminals.

In response to the BRC survey, Home Office Minister Dame Diana Johnson called The Rise in Shop Crime “completely unacceptable”.

He has also reiterated a government vow to bring to a new specific crime to attack retail workers – some such retail industry has been calling from 2020.

The BRC states that this will help clarify the size of the problem and allow the data to collect.

Helen Dicinson says the latest record level of shoplifting should work as a “wake-up call” for the government and the police.

“The fear of the result is not just there and I think we need to focus more resources by the police,” she says.

Jason Toste says more work to do, but thinks that steps being taken throughout the industry are beginning to bring results.

“Finally when the shopkeepers started looking at the level of result more and more, we are seeing today … which will actually change the tide.”