Policing minister Chris Philp has encouraged shop workers to make ‘citizen’s arrests’ on shoplifters, a message branded as ‘dangerous and irresponsible’  by retail union USDAW.

At the Conservative party conference in Manchester earlier this week, Philp said: “I would also just remind everyone that the wider public, including shop staff and security guards, do have the power of citizen’s arrest and where it’s safe to do so I would encourage that to be used. Because if you do just let people walk in and take stuff and walk out without proper challenge, including potentially a physical  challenge, then it will just escalate.”

However, national president of the Fed Muntazir Dipoti said this tactic is “high risk” and advised against it.

He said: “When shop staff challenge thieves they are often subject to abuse and sometimes assault. We tell our staff to never try to physically stop a crime. It goes without saying that we would never want our customers to expose themselves to this high risk either.”

USDAW general secretary Paddy Lillis agreed: “This kind of ‘DIY policing’ is dangerous and irresponsible. The minister needs to rethink his strategy, invest in putting more police on the beat and introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a shop worker, like they have in Scotland.

Retailers call for ‘urgent action’ on soaring crime rates

“Usdaw’s very clear advice to our members is not to intervene or try to detain a shoplifter, their priority is to keep themselves safe. The retail employers we deal with also give the same advice to their staff. So it demonstrates a complete lack of understanding by the minister to suggest staff should be doing the job of the police.

“We are even more alarmed that he suggests the public should be performing citizen’s arrests in stores. Our members suffered first-hand when the public tried to police each other on Covid rules, with fights breaking out in aisles and shop workers refereeing arguments between customers. We do not want to see a return to that.”

The minister added that he is also planning to tackle crime levels by enabling facial CCTV images to be matched with information on passports and other government databases. However, it will take an estimated two years to create the IT system.

Members of the Fed and British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) are calling for alternative solutions to citizen’s arrests and a new IT system, and are asking the government to provide a £1,500 grant to help them cope with rising crime levels.

Dipoti commented that, to tackle shoplifting, increased resources are needed for the police and judiciary, and retailers also need better CCTV and other security equipment to help police with investigations.

Dipoti added: “We want the police to be able to attend more crimes and quickly. But the Fed is urging the UK and Scottish governments to provide a £1,500 grant to small shops which can’t afford the security they need.”

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