Shoplifting

[Legz]

I don’t think the cops who attend the local shoplifting give a toss about the end of the financial year and budgets.

I was told this as fact by PCO's. They have next to no interest in investigating a bog standard shoplifting until it matters. Shops can only get someone out ASAP if you report a threat..I've I'd 26 years..I know what I'm talking about. The only other time they take notice is when it's done out of hours and then it's forensics etc

 

[Scrug]

Surprised he didn’t go to prison if he jabbed you with a needle?


You sure it wasn’t 6 months.

Shoplifting is hardly a one way ticket to prison. Much easier ways.

He said he didn’t jab me intentionally. I felt something sharp go in me when we tackled him and there it was on the floor. It might not have been that, but obviously couldn’t take the risk.

Six weeks of antibiotics, then a test. You have to have another test months down the line. It might’ve changed now, but that was certainly the craic ten year ago.

Aldi’s official line was not to go after shoplifters and put ourselves at risk, but we used to get pressured to do it and questioned if we didn’t try and get the stock back. After that, I didn’t chase a single shoplifter and was quickly moved to a different store.

We used to speak to them and ask them why they kept doing it and that was the most common response. The problem was that store was it was smack bang in the middle of the halfway houses they used to stay in when they got out on probation. So if they offended, they’d go straight back.

 

[Caretaker1]

Proper old school there roofie. Birch followed by salt water to clean the wounds.

When they leave the shop , get them to join a protest march.
Lifted , charged and jailed in double quick time .

 

[JackG]

When they leave the shop , get them to join a protest march.
Lifted , charged and jailed in double quick time .

'From the river to the sea, Aldi shall be free!'

 

[Ben_Jamin]

The was an ex-copper on the radio this morning saying that anyone caught should be issued with a letter banning them from the store. The police only investigate shoplifting over £250, but he said once you were banned then you are trespassing and any theft was then burglary. Still need people to catch them, but I guess AI and facial recognition could provide a solution. He also blamed the majority of baby formula theft on it being used as a cutting agent for class A drugs.

Was this on 5 live?

They had our beloved Steve Turner on talking about it. The irony

 

[TheLodger]

It really needs to far less socially acceptable to buy these goods from shoplifters

That will prove difficult when currently our very own Tory PCC Steve Turner was cautioned for handling stolen shoplifted goods.

Talking about setting examples eh?

 

[festa5]

I was told this as fact by PCO's. They have next to no interest in investigating a bog standard shoplifting until it matters. Shops can only get someone out ASAP if you report a threat..I've I'd 26 years..I know what I'm talking about. The only other time they take notice is when it's done out of hours and then it's forensics etc

If it's done out of hours it'd be a burglary. Which presumably still falls into the "crimes police can be arsed to investigate" category.

(not entirely the police fault it must be said. Overworked and underfunded just like everywhere else. Thank you to the tories).

 

[Colgates_shaving_foam]

As benefit money and supports for poor people is cut to the bone marrow then I don't think it's a surprise that shoplifting goes up.

I do not think it makes sense to cut adrift such a massive number of the most vulnerable in society. It might well make more sense economically to pay enough of a basic income to allow them to sit at home watching TV all day whilst doing whatever substances they like, rather than have them out on the streets causing a nuisance.

 

[peboro]

That will prove difficult when currently our very own Tory PCC Steve Turner was cautioned for handling stolen shoplifted goods.

Talking about setting examples eh?

 

[RedAsABeetroot]

Was this on 5 live?

They had our beloved Steve Turner on talking about it. The irony

Yes. I only caught a short bit while driving to work.

 

[Heam44]

I was told this as fact by PCO's. They have next to no interest in investigating a bog standard shoplifting until it matters. Shops can only get someone out ASAP if you report a threat..I've I'd 26 years..I know what I'm talking about. The only other time they take notice is when it's done out of hours and then it's forensics etc

Do you mean a PCSO? Police Community Support Officer?

 

[Legz]

Do you mean a PCSO? Police Community Support Officer?

Sorry yes

 

[Heam44]

Sorry yes

PCSO’s do a good job. But put it this way, they’re not exactly towards the top of the tree when it comes to rank / experience / knowledge of policing.

Budgets and financial end of year accounting isn’t in anyway part of their job profile.

 

[JackG]

PCSO’s do a good job. But put it this way, they’re not exactly towards the top of the tree when it comes to rank / experience / knowledge of policing.

Budgets and financial end of year accounting isn’t in anyway part of their job profile.

Who does make the attend/don't attend decisions? More specifically, who is accountable for setting the priorities and can be held accountable? (I know it's not junior officers)

 

[hobblewobble]

These thieves /junkies/homeless are our children grown up, society is at fault as we all are, no discipline no respect, no law and order. To many 'i know my rights brigade'
Work shy ,foul mouthed cretins every where 'it's ok because gordon ramsey does it'

 

[Nano]

Who does make the attend/don't attend decisions? More specifically, who is accountable for setting the priorities and can be held accountable? (I know it's not junior officers)

I presume it is a triage process, like when you turn up at A&E. There'll be several questions and everything will be given a score and then that will determine the level of response. If there's no immediate danger to anyone then it'll score very low.

 

[JackG]

I presume it is a triage process, like when you turn up at A&E. There'll be several questions and everything will be given a score and then that will determine the level of response. If there's no immediate danger to anyone then it'll score very low.

I'd presumed similarly. There must be somebody in the chain of command who lays down the scorecarding principles and is accountable. I'd like to know if the scorecard rules are accessible to the public (perhaps an FOI request) and if anyone in authority is prepared to justify the current murky arrangements. It's clearly a matter of great public interest and dissatisfaction.

 

[Laughing]

Both directions are correct...why should the lives of shop workers be put at risk because...I promise you...it will happen

A shoplifter threatening an employee is committing a crime other than theft though. I don't condone either, btw. I am just less inclined to villify shoplifters when 4 million families live in poverty in the UK and over a million children are in absolute poverty and their parents cannot meet the basic requirements of feeding, housing and clothing them.

 

[RedAsABeetroot]

Who does make the attend/don't attend decisions? More specifically, who is accountable for setting the priorities and can be held accountable? (I know it's not junior officers)

For shoplifting I believe there's a cut off point of £250 worth of goods stolen. Below this value it's deemed not a police matter.

 

[JackG]

For shoplifting I believe there's a cut off point of £250 worth of goods stolen. Below this value it's deemed not a police matter.

This is an arbitrary figure with no grounding in law. I'd like to know where the guidance is coming from. I appreciate that police resources are stretched and they need to prioritise, but I'd like to see greater clarity on what the priorities are and, by implication, what they are not. I'd also like to see greater transparency and political accountability.