Local shopkeepers discuss retail crime impact on BBC Newsnight
Pembrokeshire retailers Vince and Fiona Malone have spoken out to BBC news presenter Victoria Derbyshire about the impact that retail crime and shoplifting is having on small, local businesses like theirs.
Speaking on BBC's 'Newsnight' earlier this week, the couple - who have been running the Tenby Stores and Post Office since 2014 - said that last year their business lost a total of £26,000 as a result of shoplifting. This averages at around £500 a week.
CCTV footage of the shoplifters was also shown on the show.
"It's happening on a daily basis, and it's not fair," said Fiona. "We're not the richest people in the world and we run the business for the community. We're also a post office and if we were to close, the town would have nowhere to do its banking.
"That's not fair, but it's not sustainable for us to just keep on taking on the losses."
Vince and Fiona Malone have installed a total of 32 cameras around the interior of their store which helps them to identify the shoplifters.
"The trouble we're having is that we're passing the information onto the police, but these people are coming back again and again," said Vince.
"We've got the technology, so we can identify when problems are happening, but some of these people are really brazen. As a society and as an industry we need to look at how we deal with this."
The couple's concerns were recently shared with Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP, Henry Tufnell, when they met him at the Pembrokeshire County Show.
Earlier this year the Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 39% increase in shoplifting incidents across Wales. This is the highest level in 20 years. The Dyfed-Powys Police division saw an increase of 11%.
"Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers," commented Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the retail trade union, Usdaw.
"The 39% increase in shoplifting across Wales is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.
“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in the stores, and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. Our latest survey results show that 7 in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. 60% of respondents said that theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents.
“The dither and delay by this Government on this issue over many years has led to thousands of shop workers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury.
"We hope that whatever the Government is proposing will be substantial and effective in giving shop workers, key workers in every community, the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”"
Local shopkeepers discuss retail crime impact on BBC Newsnight
Pembrokeshire retailers Vince and Fiona Malone have spoken out to BBC news presenter Victoria Derbyshire about the impact that retail crime and shoplifting is having on small, local businesses like theirs.
Speaking on BBC's 'Newsnight' earlier this week, the couple - who have been running the Tenby Stores and Post Office since 2014 - said that last year their business lost a total of £26,000 as a result of shoplifting. This averages at around £500 a week.
CCTV footage of the shoplifters was also shown on the show.
"It's happening on a daily basis, and it's not fair," said Fiona. "We're not the richest people in the world and we run the business for the community. We're also a post office and if we were to close, the town would have nowhere to do its banking.
"That's not fair, but it's not sustainable for us to just keep on taking on the losses."
Vince and Fiona Malone have installed a total of 32 cameras around the interior of their store which helps them to identify the shoplifters.
"The trouble we're having is that we're passing the information onto the police, but these people are coming back again and again," said Vince.
"We've got the technology, so we can identify when problems are happening, but some of these people are really brazen. As a society and as an industry we need to look at how we deal with this."
The couple's concerns were recently shared with Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP, Henry Tufnell, when they met him at the Pembrokeshire County Show.
Earlier this year the Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 39% increase in shoplifting incidents across Wales. This is the highest level in 20 years. The Dyfed-Powys Police division saw an increase of 11%.
"Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers," commented Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the retail trade union, Usdaw.
"The 39% increase in shoplifting across Wales is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.
“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in the stores, and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. Our latest survey results show that 7 in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. 60% of respondents said that theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents.
“The dither and delay by this Government on this issue over many years has led to thousands of shop workers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury.
"We hope that whatever the Government is proposing will be substantial and effective in giving shop workers, key workers in every community, the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”"