RETAILERS south of the border sent a clear message to the UK Government that it must do more to tackle the blight of retail crime.
Members of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), British Retail Consortium, NFRN, and shopworkers union USDAW, joined forces to make their case to the UK Government at a parliamentary event last month.
The business groups and USDAW called for the UK Government to introduce tougher penalties for attacks on shopworkers, more effective interventions to stop repeat offenders, for retail crime and violence to be a priority in every police and crime comissioner’s local plan, and to focus police resources on community policing.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “ In the convenience sector alone, we estimate that there have been around 50,000 incidents of violence and abuse against people working in shops.
“The justice system is not doing enough to tackle the cycle of repeat offending, and retailers lack confidence in the police’s ability to deal with crimes committed against their business.
“We’re sending a clear message to the Government that change is needed to better support our members.”
