With a dramatic rise in retail crime, Co-op’s managing director urgently calls for police intervention.
- Retail crime incidents have increased by 35% in one year, worrying local communities and businesses.
- Police response to serious retail crimes appears lacking, with a reported 71% failure to react adequately.
- Co-op invests over £200m into safety for workers and stores, highlighting the severity of the issue.
- Incidents of theft and violence illustrate the urgent need for change, according to Co-op leadership.
The Co-op is experiencing a troubling surge in retail crime, revealing a 35% increase in incidents over the past year. This trend has resulted in approximately 1,000 incidents per day, causing significant concern among retailers and communities alike. Such a high incidence rate has prompted Co-op’s managing director, Matt Hood, to publicly urge the police to take more decisive action in addressing these crimes. Hood voiced his plea amidst rising concerns of physical assaults, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour in Co-op stores.
A Freedom of Information request by the Co-op revealed a critical finding: police forces failed to respond to 71% of serious retail crime reports. Hood’s remarks highlighted the inadequacy of current police responses, stating that these crimes are becoming increasingly brazen and violent, thereby exacerbating the situation for retailers and employees. “It’s hard to over-emphasise how important urgent change is,” he remarked, underlining the immediate need for improved police engagement to mitigate risks faced by Co-op’s frontline staff.
In response to these challenges, the Co-op has significantly increased its investment in safety measures, spending over £200 million to protect colleagues and stores. This investment is quadruple the average sector expenditure on security, demonstrating Co-op’s commitment to enhancing safety amidst mounting retail crimes. Equipment such as body-worn cameras and communication headsets is now employed to safeguard employees actively.
To further combat retail crime, the Co-op has implemented strategies such as reducing the visibility of high-value products by using placeholder ‘dummy’ products. This approach is intended to deter theft while continuing to provide essential services to the community. However, Hood emphasises that despite these efforts, police involvement is crucial to address the root of the problem effectively.
Ultimately, maintaining community stores as safe and accessible spaces is essential. Growing incidents of unchallenged crime threaten to turn some areas into ‘no-go’ zones. Co-op’s efforts indicate a proactive approach, yet without effective policing, these measures alone may not suffice in reversing the alarming crime trend.
The escalating retail crime demands an urgent, coordinated response from both retailers and the police to ensure community safety.
