Alcohol is now most stolen convenience store item

Alcohol has become the most common product targeted by shop thieves, according to the ACS’s 2019 annual crime report.

Last year, the product sat in third place with meat ranked at number one. However, this has now slipped to second, followed by confectionery. 

Over the same period, the total cost of shop theft per store has jumped from £1,739 to £2,237. 

• Retailers urged to meet MPs to help tackle crime

Crime against retailers now costs an estimated £246m, compared with last year’s £193m, equating to £5,308 per store, up by nearly £1,500. 

ACS chief executive James Lowman has urged shopkeepers to report crime. “There is never an excuse for being abusive toward people working in local shops, and it mustn’t be normalised,” he said. “Abuse is a crime and it always needs to be reported.”

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