In news that will surprise absolutely no one who has ever worked retail, a Marks & Spencer regional manager has confirmed that shoplifters are walking into stores with literal shopping lists, aiming to swipe hauls worth thousands of pounds. Because why browse when you can just order off the menu?
Elisa Lewis, who oversees M&S shops in Shropshire, described shoplifting as a "really large issue" and "a daily, possibly even hourly, occurrence." In her experience, the culprits can be "anybody" - from "a bored housewife who's just nicking a jacket for a bit of fun" to people experiencing alcohol or drug dependence who say they're "just doing it to survive." And the ones they catch? Often "those we least expect," which is retail's version of a plot twist nobody asked for.
As a physically smaller woman, Lewis admitted that tackling some shoplifters can be "intimidating," though she's grown more hardened to it over time. Nothing says career development like developing a thicker skin for apprehending people mid-jacket-swipe.
According to figures collected by the BBC, shoplifting offences across England and Wales saw a slight fall in the last financial year, a trend mirrored in the West Mercia police force area. So that's... something.
M&S has a policy of issuing lifetime bans to shoplifters, which Lewis said can be a "big deterrent" and a "big shock," especially to younger offenders. But sometimes it turns out to be a genuine accident, and the store takes people to an in-house detention room to "understand their motivations" before acting. Because nothing says customer service like a makeshift interrogation room.
In other cases, it's no accident. "They've come in with a special order, and they go around stealing to order, and that can go into thousands of pounds depending on what people are asking for," Lewis said. So yes, there is a black market for stolen M&S goods, and it apparently has a procurement process.
The run-up to Christmas is always peak shoplifting season, with people wanting presents and money. And the quietest times of day? Also peak hours. "Usually you find in your first hour of trade is where you're get people who're reliant on money, drugs, etc," she said. "They will head for your meat, your alcohol, your suits, because that's what they'll get the most money for." So if you're wondering why the filet mignon is missing at 9 a.m., now you know.
Lewis noted that shoplifting levels rise and fall with the cost of living, adding: "When there is a presence in the town, they are deterred." Which is a polite way of saying that criminals are like toddlers - they act out when no one's watching.
Insp Ingrid Tozer, the West Mercia Police officer responsible for Shrewsbury town centre, said an increased police presence there is making a difference. Since October, six police officers and a sergeant have been based in the town, and she said shoplifting incidents have fallen. "The feedback has been fantastic," she said, and the force believes it has issued criminal behaviour orders to the most prolific offenders.
But engaging traders has been a challenge. PC Joseph Bradley, one of the officers based in Shrewsbury, said: "We spent quite a bit of time trying to encourage the shops to report thefts into us. We went through a period when we weren't necessarily getting a lot of reports in." He's worked in the town for 16 years and has spent a lot of time building relationships with traders to make that happen. Because nothing builds community like convincing retailers that reporting crime is, in fact, a good idea.
Cath Harmer from Shrewsbury BID - a group representing businesses in the town - backed that up. As the Safer Shrewsbury coordinator, she's responsible for the Shrewsbury Rangers, an external security team that patrols the streets, assisting shopkeepers and police. Harmer said: "There is a tendency for retailers to absorb that theft rather than reporting it," and she wants to make sure they continue reporting crime. So, retailers: stop eating the loss and start filing the paperwork. It's the least glamorous part of fighting crime, but someone's got to do it.