UK: Thefts of Food, Metal, and Petrol Increasing January 3rd, 2009

UK: Thefts of Food, Metal, and Petrol Increasing
January 3rd, 2009

Via: Independent:

Supermarkets have been forced to tag cuts of meat because shoplifters have turned to stealing food during the credit crunch. Retailers warn that the recession has changed the pattern of crime in high street stores, with thieves switching from luxury items to basic foodstuffs.

Shops have been forced to step up security around food counters after sharp increases in the quantity of beef, chicken, bacon and cheese going missing.

Tesco, Iceland and Marks & Spencer have all reported rises in theft in their stores this year. The problem has become so acute in some areas that retailers, including Somerfield, have experimented with fitting electronic tags to expensive cuts of meat.

Over the past decade, most shoplifters have pilfered small high-value items – such as perfumes, packets of razor blades and DVDs – to fund drug habits.

Richard Dodd, spokesman for the British Retail Consortium, said: “In difficult times likes these, there is evidence that the range of people stealing expands. They are stealing a bigger range of items and going for things they want to use rather than sell.

“Retailers believe there has been an increase in theft as a result of the downturn and are tightening their security. More security staff are being taken on and the tagging of items is becoming more widespread.”

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College in London, said: “If members of the public are risking prosecution to steal basic staples, that adds to the evidence that families are experiencing real hardship. It’s not just shops feeling the pinch. Their customers are too.”

Police are also reporting an increase in thefts of metal, and petrol being siphoned from cars and stolen from filling stations. Mick Giannasi, the chief constable of Gwent, said: “We’re starting to pick up crime trends associated with the economic situation. We ask ourselves where can we best put our resources. Metal thefts started to increase, so we put a response in and that had an impact in bringing it down. We’re now looking at petrol thefts using our roads policing unit.”

Research Credit: GP

[alyscat]

Interesting, Baggy. I know that in the NW Florida area, there's been a big increase in the theft of copper - businesses have had to literally put locked fences/cages around their air conditioning units - and even churches have been hit.
alys

This was predicted by Dimitry Orlov in his essay Post Soviet Lessons in a Post American Century. Available in audio format in the new Avalon library...

[burgundia]

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

This was predicted by Dimitry Orlov in his essay Post Soviet Lessons in a Post American Century. Available in audio format in the new Avalon library...

how can I "get" to that library?

[Steve_A]

Hi Baggywrinkle,

I'm not sure if stealing expensive cuts of meat is stealing a staple, but that's a personal point of view.

I'm also not too sure about putting on extra security is a good idea, the extra cost could be more than the loss of stealing and would bring a different atmosphere to most supermarkets, as we ALL would be watched and I'm not too sure if I would want somebody watching me, thinking I would try and steal something, for whatever reason.

If we look back to the 80's we can remember the Toxteth incident that took hold and spread in the UK for a few months. I can see a similar thing happening as the people become depressed with their hard lives.

These things are relative 'flashes in the pan' though as we can see from Greece which seems to have calmed down after a week or so of clashes in Athens.

Let's watch with interest as it all plays out.

Best regards,

Steve

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

UK: Thefts of Food, Metal, and Petrol Increasing
January 3rd, 2009

Via: Independent:

Supermarkets have been forced to tag cuts of meat because shoplifters have turned to stealing food during the credit crunch. Retailers warn that the recession has changed the pattern of crime in high street stores, with thieves switching from luxury items to basic foodstuffs....

Originally Posted by burgundia

how can I "get" to that library?

We'll be opening the doors very soon.

Patience...

p.s.

the general membership is welcome to contribute material to the library. Contact one of the researchers
for details