Category Archives: Shoplifting

iNews reports that shoplifting has hit a five-year high in Scotland as people resort to stealing food from supermarkets, according to police statistics.

Figures published by Police Scotland show that shoplifting has increased by almost 10 per cent in the past year, with 31,321 crimes recorded.

A Guardian article explores the murky exploits of first-time and seasoned shoplifters, as items stolen at self-service tills increased to more than £3bn in 2017.
Some scams have names – “the banana trick”, “the switcheroo” and “sweethearting”, although there are so many techniques in practice that not all of them do.

According to The Mirror, Tesco has installed CCTV at self checkouts in a selection of stores as part of a crackdown on shoplifters.

Shoppers’ faces will now appear on screens above each checkout at the stores, with a written warning in each bagging area.

According to Metro, a Tesco worker died following an incident at a branch of the supermarket.

Hilary Simmons – remembered as a ‘much-loved mummy, wife, family member, friend and colleague’ – died after being taken ill at a Tesco Express store in Middlesbrough.

According to The Sun, tools used by shoplifters to remove security tags from stolen goods could be bought on eBay for as little as £3.

The tools featured powerful magnets, which sellers claimed can disable stores’ security measures in seconds.

According to The Sun, YouTube is hosting videos that teach people how to bypass high street store security alarms and remove security tags.
One shoplifting video showed how to line a bag with foil and clingfilm to avoid triggering alarms. It stated: “This is very effective. Now you can go and steal as much as you can.”