MP for Wokingham Clive Jones has called for greater police funding after visiting stores in Wokingham affected by shoplifting.
On Saturday, Jones visited Boots and Aldi in Wokingham, and the Co-op stores in Matthewsgreen and Arborfield Green, to talk with store managers about shoplifting.
Managers and staff told him that shoplifting is getting worse, and that perpetrators are becoming more confrontational.
The length of time required to report incidents, and the lack of action seen by shops following reports, is leading to many incidents not being reported, masking the full scale of the issue.
Store managers reported that police rarely find the time to visit the stores affected or respond to reports.
Managers have lost faith in the police, and perpetrators feel there is little chance of being caught. Even when the police act, the consequences are rarely serious.
According to the managers, shoplifters are both local, regular customers, and visiting individuals or gangs. Retailers often know who the frequent offenders are, but Police lack the resources and powers to act.
Whilst chains and large retailers may be able to cover the cost, the impact on staff and independent retailers is enormous.
Losses in individual stores can amount to many thousands of pounds per week.
To help solve this issue, retail managers are calling for simplified reporting and improved police response to reports.
He said: “Visiting these stores in Wokingham affected by shoplifting was both informative and shocking, with the pervasiveness and seriousness of the problem clear.
“Retail managers need quicker and easier ways of reporting shoplifting, and the Police need the resources to respond quicker and more often.
“In Parliament on Monday, I spoke about the need for more police to tackle this problem.
“The Conservative Government failed to increase police numbers in our area, and we must not allow the new Labour Government to do the same.”
