{"id":29209,"date":"2025-01-15T17:25:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T17:25:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?post_type=knowledge&p=29209"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:04:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:04:05","slug":"poundland-launches-anti-shoplifting-measures","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/poundland-launches-anti-shoplifting-measures\/","title":{"rendered":"Poundland launches new anti-shoplifting measures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Budget retailer Poundland is cracking down on shoplifters and is issuing staff with headsets \u2013 and even bodycams \u2013 as part of its Against Retail Crime initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poundland has revealed it lost more than \u00a340 million worth of stock last year due to crime, as well as increasing cases of staff abuse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head of Loss Prevention at Poundland, Christina Jesty, says: \u201cThe rate of store theft and colleague abuse has accelerated significantly across our stores in the last 18 months, and this has been very challenging for our people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s store theft undermining all our colleagues\u2019 hard work, or incidents of violence and abuse making our colleagues feel unsafe at work, something must change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new initiative will see all staff wearing headsets, allowing quicker communication between workers, as well as additional undercover guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stores which have seen the most crime will also fit staff with bodycams. A trial of the bodycams has been successful, seeing an 11 per cent reduction in violence against staff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for some tips on how to protect your shop from shoplifters<\/a>? Read our full guide.<\/p>\n\n

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Is shoplifting on the rise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The latest numbers from the Office for National Statistics reveals that shoplifting is at its highest level in 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UK saw 443,995 shoplifting offences in the year ending March 2024. This was a 30 per cent increase compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, 26 per cent of businesses in the wholesale and retail sectors experienced theft during the previous 12 months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The most commonly shoplifted products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An annual crime report from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) revealed that the ten most commonly shoplifted items<\/a> are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Meat<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Alcohol<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Confectionery<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Cheese<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Soft drinks<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      \n
    1. Coffee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Household items (cleaning products etc)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Vapes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Tobacco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Health\/pharmacy products<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Do police investigate shoplifting in the UK?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Security guards are able to make a citizen\u2019s arrest if someone is caught shoplifting. Under the Criminal Law Act 1967, security guards are also able to use \u2018reasonable force\u2019 to detain a shoplifter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If detained until the police arrive, the shoplifter could be arrested and either given a caution or be put on trial \u2013 though both options come with a criminal record. If put on the trial, the shoplifter could receive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n