Police investigation cuts give shoplifters ‘green light to thieve’

London convenience retailers are victims of low-value shoplifting, criminal damage and assaults can no longer rely on the police to carry out an investigation every time.

A new Crime Assessment Policy means if the suspect hasn’t been ID’d, the crime value is under £50, the crime scene isn’t covered by CCTV, the CCTV isn’t clear or the CCTV can’t be picked up by the officer immediately, the Met Police will not launch an investigation.

Ex-Met deputy chief inspector Mick Neville said it was “justice dreamed up by bean counters”. He said: “Not investigating high-volume crimes like shoplifting with a loss of under £50 will give junkies a green light to thieve.”

In a statement, the Met Police’s deputy assistant commissioner, Mark Simmons blamed budget cuts, stating: “We are having to ‘balance the books’ with fewer officers and less money. We must prioritise our resources to be able to cope with the demand.”

While recorded crime increased 5.7%, the number of Met Police officers is set to fall by 5.3%.

However when asked about the impact on convenience stores, High Streets Minister Jake Berry refused to get into a “dutch auction” on police numbers, instead stating that overall, crime was down across the UK.

Berry told Retail Express: “There is no grey area when it comes to criminal responsibility, theft is theft and a I do not think any police forces should be taking a softly softly approach, especially when it comes to retail.”

The new Crime Assessment Policy is likely to further reduce the already unlikely chances of a shoplifter in an independent convenience store being prosecuted. Exclusive research by Retail Express showed shoplifters are four times less likely to get caught when they target independent convenience stores compared to multiples. Just 6% of shoplifting incidents in an independent store end in a conviction.

Despite the new investigation caps on retail crime, the National Business Crime Centre urged retailers to report every incident to make sure the police commit the right amount of resources.