Battle against shoplifters

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 5

Battle against shoplifters

NZPA-Reuter London After the greatest Christmas spree yet for shoplifters in Britain, a national organisation will be launched to fight the growing problem. It will be knowm as the Association for the Pre-1 vention of Theft in Shops, Mr Harry Shepherd, presi-l dent of 'tie Oxford Street; Association (London), has said.

The association will he launched next year in the wake of a national shoplifting cost that has now risen to £SOOM a year. In Oxford Street alone the figure is £2SM and, according to Mr Shepherd. “costs the honest shopper another twopence on prices."

He said; “This is the fast-est-growing area of crime with tourists playing their part in it during the height of the season. To some

wealthy shoplifters the maximum fine of $4OO for theft is just pocket-money." More children are now shoplifting — 35.000 between the ages of 14 and 17, with a total haul of £175.000 worth of goods, according to

Mr Shepherd. In 1975 he estimated there were about 11.000 juvenile shoplifters. More men than women are convicted of shoplifting The majority of women shoplifters are aged between 25 and 35.

"But," Mr Shepherd said, “there was the case of the really old lady who collapsed in a supermarket, and when an ambulance was called was found 10 be suffering from hypothermia —

caused by a frozen chicken under her hat.”

The average theft has risen from under five pounds a year ago to more than ten pounds now. "Magistrates are not helping because policies are so variable, and shoplifting is not being treated as the serious crime it is,” he said. "I do not think you can itempt an honest person. There is no social stigma attached to being in court any more.” Apart from shoplifitng. “con lifting" costs stores a lot — confidence tricksters in overalls take carpets, coloured televisions, or electric typewriters under the noses of staff.