Traders in Nottingham have invested in extra security measures to deter thieves following a rise in shoplifting, stated a recent report as city's crime surpasses the rest of England.
According to police records, there has been a 25 per cent increase in shoplifting one year with the England average being 24 per cent.
According to a recent report in BBC, the city's Co-op stores have "invested significantly" in extra security while a mobile shop in the area has its phones tied to the display stands and an alarm is triggered if a shopper tries to steal one. Traders have set up a group chat to share intelligence and alert each other of repeat offenders in the area, stated the report.
The convenience store operator of a Stapleford Co-op said shoplifting was a "daily occurrence".
"It's sort of expected as part of the day job sadly now," he said. "As a manager I've dealt with two armed robberies. It's always a concern and at the back of your head. As a business we've invested heavily on body cameras, devices and headsets."
Nottinghamshire Police said there has been a rise in shoplifting in Bulwell in recent months and that the majority of suspects were class A drug users.
"It varies from low level shoplifting to where offenders are actually going in and taking a whole rail at once. Really planned, target attacks. We've had a report where a member of staff was bitten by an offender whilst trying to recover goods. I can understand why shopkeepers don't want to get involved because of the fear of being assaulted or worse," the report quoted Sgt Jerone Taylor as saying.
The report comes amid speculations that number of custodial sentences for repeat shoplifters could increase, as a part of the Conservative government's plan for a new crime and justice bill, under which culprits committing the offence between 10 and 20 times could be given jail sentence.
