The number of requests for security guards from independent shops has doubled, according to leading store security guard provider Kingdom Security. Speaking to Better Retailing, the company’s retail account director, Kevin Burton, described how the com­pany is now getting “five-to-10 requests per week” from store owners looking to protect single sites. Meanwhile, the in­crease in major grocery chains is much higher.

Burton said: “One client in the past six months has gone from three or four stores manned to a full 140- store programme.”

Morrisons has also re­viewed the risk rating of every store. Seventy-five percent have gone from single-manned to dual-manned. The increasing security spend by major grocers comes amid a change in approach. Guards now prevent entry to known offenders rather than just challenging those caught in the act.

Displacement

Burton said the ap­proach cuts violent incidents, but added: “They’re just going down the road. It’s displace­ment because it takes it to another retailer.”

He explained that while larger stores are more often targeted by travelling gangs, requir­ing a more constant pres­ence, local stores often face repeat local offenders during key time periods, which can be tackled by targeted security shifts.

The investment from retailers came as the latest Office for National Statistics figures showed shoplifting to be at its highest levels in 20 years, with incidents up by 32% year on year for the 12 months ending Septem­ber 2023.

Late last year, Better Retailing reported that thousands of shoplifters are likely to avoid jail each year. This is a result of government plans to ban jail sentences of less than twelve months in England and Wales.

Justice secretary Alex Chalk defended the short sentence ban stating: “Judges will still be able to send shoplifters to prison, including when offenders are in breach of a court order. And under our plans, we’ll have twice as many tags available so that prolific shoplifters can be tracked 24 hours a day, while they pay for their crimes by cleaning up our streets.”

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