Gangs of marauding law breakers; greedy people on the make. Shoplifters are the media’s latest bête noir, as recent headlines blast the “epidemic” of theft in our shops. Tesco boss Ken Murphy, meanwhile, is offering bodycams to his staff to protect them from physical attacks.
There is, of course, no excuse for violence, yet there are questions here that need to be asked.
What is driving the rise in abusive behaviour? And why is theft on the increase? When a teenage boy steals formula milk to feed his baby sister, should he be prosecuted?
The British Retail Consortium said there were around eight million incidents in the 12 months to March 2023.
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