What changes must be made to tackle retail crime?

On the front page of Retail Express’ latest issue (October 4), Martin Vickers, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Retail and Business Crime, argues that retail crime needs to be pushed further up the agenda of police forces and the Government.

Here, three retailers weigh in on what needs to be addressed in order to tackle the issue.

I know the police have other priorities, but we need them to cooperate more with retailers. At the moment it can seem like they don’t want to know, which leads us to feel we’re left to enforce rules and regulations ourselves. 

More than anything else, people need to be educated on the impacts of retail crime; maybe if offenders had to attend a course it might make them think twice.

Kay Desai, Nisa Local, Tongham, Surrey

Retailers are doing everything they can to safeguard themselves, but penalties and response times need attention. Shoplifters target us all the time, but we don’t bother calling the police anymore; we just kick them out.

Last year, my son phoned the police after a particularly intimidating incident, but they didn’t turn up until the following day. Reporting crimes takes a lot of time and effort, all for shoplifters to get a slap on the wrist.

Sam Whiteside, Best One, Abergele, Clwyd

Most retailers are doing as much as they can to prevent or prepare for retail crime, but how do you prepare yourself for situations where someone pulls a weapon on you?

The responsibility now lies with Government and the police to look at response times and the approach to sentencing. People forget that when a retailer comes under threat and intimidation, the scars left behind are immeasurable.

Ralph Patel, The Look In, Woodmansterne, Surrey