A police chief's advice to shopkeepers to call 999 when they see thieves has sparked mockery, with critics pointing out that officers rarely turn up to such calls. Jon Cummins, Assistant Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, told store owners to dial emergency services rather than tackle offenders themselves.
But the reality for many retailers is starkly different. Officers regularly fail to attend shoplifting incidents and instead direct victims to file reports online, which are typically ignored, leaving shop owners effectively defenceless against crime.
Cummins told the BBC: "If they see someone shoplifting, my advice to them is they must call us. If they see it, they should immediately call us on 999 and not intervene." His comments have been branded "out of touch" by frustrated business owners who pay taxes expecting police protection.
Police response crisis
Samantha Baker, who owns gift shop Refine & Design in Yeovil, Somerset, said Cummins "does not know how bad it is". She said: "If you call the police, they are not turning up. It is shocking. I pay my taxes for the police to do their jobs, and they won't."
The scale of the problem has reached unprecedented levels. Shoplifting offences in England and Wales have surpassed 500,000 for the first time, representing a 20% increase from 2023.
The confusion over police strategy deepened when Katy Bourne, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, said: "There is no point arresting shoplifters if there is no effective deterrent." Her comments highlighted the disconnect between arrest policies and court outcomes.
Political disagreement
The row intensified when Labour's policing minister Dame Diana Johnson was accused of "victim blaming" for asking shopkeepers to conceal high-value goods. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "The policing minister's comments were staggering. She is saying that law-abiding shopkeepers should have to cover for the explosion of shoplifting which she is presiding over."
Other police commissioners took a different stance. Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, said: "It is disappointing the policing minister of all people does not see the importance of a strong community in preventing crime. The public should feel empowered to report crimes they see in front of them."
Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, added: "I cannot understand the ambivalent attitude that some forces seem to take, as it does nothing to improve confidence in policing."
Shop owners fight back
Some shop owners are taking matters into their own hands. Suki Athwal, co-owner of Shop Around The Clock in Tenterden, Kent, has been posting CCTV mugshots of suspected shoplifters in his shop window and on social media, despite Data Protection Act concerns.
Athwal said he found one suspected thief at a bus stop but was threatened when he demanded payment. He told The Times he still displays mugshots occasionally as "a reminder that we're watching".
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "BBC", "The Daily Telegraph", "The Times" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
