DON'T defend shoplifters, Co-op boss pleads: Supermarket chief warns most offenders are drug gangsters exploiting cost-of-living woes - amid slew of thefts across stores
- Co-op Food has recorded its highest levels of crime in the six months to June
The boss of retailer Co-op Food has warned people to not defend shoplifters and that the majority are drug gangsters.
Matt Hood, Co-op Food managing director, made the remarks after denying that an uptick in thefts at the retailer's stores was a response to the alleged profiteering by supermarkets during tough times.
Mr Hood claimed that the majority of repeat shoplifting offenders were gangsters who steal goods to mix with drugs.
In comments made to the Telegraph, he said that the reason for the slew of thefts was mainly because shoplifters use baby formula 'to cut drugs'.
The grocer has recorded its highest levels of crime in the six months to June, seeing almost 1,000 incidents a day. This marks a 35 per cent increase year-on-year.
The boss of retailer Co-op Food Matt Hood (pictured) has warned people to not defend shoplifters
Shoplifters are often drug gangsters looking to steal products such as baby formula to cut with drugs, according to Mr Hood
Many, including the Government, have accused the grocery sector of 'greedflation' over the past 12 months as consumers tighten their belts amid the cost-of-living pressures.
Despite some supermarkets being accused of ripping their shoppers off, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said it has not found any evidence of profiteering in the industry.
In its latest report, which was published last month, it notes that operating profits in the retail grocery sector fell by 41.5 per cent in 2022-23, when compared with the year before.
Mr Hood hit out at claims that shoplifting is a victimless crime, saying that it's 'fundamentally not'.
'If that was your child working in that shop, would you say it's a victimless crime?', he asked.
The comments come after a business owner claimed that the police refused to investigate shoplifting offences unless the theft is over £200, there is clear CCTV footage and the criminal's full name is known.
Shop owner Richard Inglis has accused the police of effectively decriminalising shoplifting by failing to take it seriously.
Mr Inglis, who runs a chain of Co-op stores, said he was told by police that reports of shoplifting need to meet a certain criteria before a policeman will respond.
The revelation comes after a shop worker showed the extent of her injuries after being botted by a shoplifter.
Charlene Corbin, 28, has since shared pictures of her gruesome head wound to highlight the danger retailers face from increasingly brazen and violent thieves.
Charlene Corbin, 28, was bottled by a shoplifter at the Co-Op where she works
Mr Inglis has claimed that the police do not look into thefts if they do not fulfil a set of criteria
He said: 'It used to be a police officer would have come down, taken a statement and CCTV. But as they have cut back on resources we have to do our own statements now and upload the CCTV to a system and those cases are then reviewed.
'The burden of proof we have to provide now is so extreme.
'I have been told by the police that the value of the stock has to be over £200 and if I don't know their name and don't have a clear shot of their face on CCTV then it won't get to court.
'If not they will take it as a report but would mark it up as no further action, then it just becomes a statistic but nothing is going to be done. They basically told me it's not the right use of resources.
'Most of the police we deal with want to do more but they know it's a waste of their time if it just gets filed further up the line or if it gets to court and the court don't do anything.
'They've decriminalised these things and that has caused it to increase, there's no deterrent.'
Mr Inglis has 32 members of staff working for him across three stores in Hampshire that he owns.
He said it is not uncommon for them to be punched by shoplifters and some have been attacked with knives or had bottles thrown at them.
Mr Inglis added: 'Across our sites we can have up to eight or nine incidents on a bad day.
'We have teenagers taking part in TikTok crazes taking low value items but looking for a rise so they are abusive and looking for confrontation through to addicts and alcoholics making needle and knife threats to staff. You can't control these people.'
Miss Corbin, who works in a Co-op in neighbouring Dorset, was attacked when she went to stop a thief she saw steal a hot pastry and two bottles of alcohol.
She said: 'I grabbed my head and went back inside the store. I started to feel slightly faint and then I fell to my knees.
'I took my hand off my head and realised I was bleeding. I felt it trickling all down my neck and chest - my work shirt was red with blood.
'In the two years I've worked there, we've had staff pushed and spat at, smacked. It shouldn't be happening.
'Since this incident I completely stay out of the way of shoplifters now and I worry about colleagues putting themselves in danger. We don't feel safe.'
A spokesman for Dorset Police said a 22-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of inflicting actual bodily harm and released on bail pending further enquiries.
In response to Mr Inglis' claims, Chief Inspector Chris Douglas, from Hampshire Police, denied they have a set criteria for shoplifting offences.
He said: 'We do not make decisions based on the value of items stolen, although this does form a part of our risk assessment.
'We assess crimes based on balancing threat, risk and harm to the community or individual.
'It remains very important for all incidents of shoplifting and associated assaults to be reported to us so that we can identify crime patterns and offenders.
'I would like to reassure local communities and business owners that we do take reports of these types of incidents seriously. We will always investigate where there are viable and legitimate lines of enquiry available to us.
'We do appreciate the emotional, physical and financial impact that these types of offences can have, not only on those employed by local businesses, but the businesses themselves and also the wider community.'
Major chains including John Lewis, Asda and the Co-op have been targeted by organised criminal gangs as crimes with shoplifting soaring by 26 per cent in the past year, according to the British Retail Consortium.
Many of the stores blame police for the surge in the disturbing crimes as families struggle amid the cost of living crisis.
One survey by the BRC says 56 per cent of retailers rated the police response as 'fair' - with others declaring it even worse.
The problem has become so serious the Home Office has ploughed funding into trying to stem the flood of illegality.
Pictured is Ms Corbin's head wound that she sustained after being bottled by a thief at the store
A spokesperson said: 'Theft is down 20 per cent compared to pre pandemic levels. However, we recognise the impact that theft can have on retailers which is why we are supporting police by providing funding for crime prevention means.
'The Government's anti-social behaviour action plan, which is backed by £160million of funding will make our communities safer by ensuring perpetrators face swift and visible justice, tougher punishments and introduce early interventions to reduce this behaviour.'
The Co-op say the level of 'out-of-control crime' saw one inner-city London store 'looted' three times in just 24 hours.
It warned the onslaught was unsustainable and could see some communities become a no-go area for local stores.
