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'Shoplifting is frightening and a constant battle'

Charlotte HendersonEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
News imageMartin Simmons A man with short grey hair, a moustache and black glasses stares at the camera. He is in a blue coloured room which has a round clock on the wall.Martin Simmons
Supermarket worker Martin Simmons says he sees daily incidents of theft at the store where he works

Businesses in Lincolnshire are facing a "constant battle" against shoplifting, a workers' union has claimed.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show Lincolnshire has seen a 12% increase in thefts in the past 12 months and the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) said its members were facing increasing incidents of abuse.

Martin Simmons, a supermarket worker, said: "For some of the younger people they have in stores, it's frightening. They shouldn't be in this position."

Lincolnshire Police said it was working with businesses to reduce the number of offences.

Mr Simmons, who is a member of USDAW, said he saw incidents of theft on a daily basis and people were taking "everything from dog treats to alcohol and makeup".

"It's not just individual items, we see people trying to take trolley-loads. It's a constant battle and, unless people stand at the door, it's hard to stop them," he said.

"Some people are doing it [shoplifting] to sell to other people and there are some who are probably struggling and do it to get by. It's getting worse and worse."

News imageLincolnshire Co-op A person holds a small square-shaped bodycam device, featuring a screen and camera lens on the front. The individual is dressed in a dark jacket over a light blue collared shirt.Lincolnshire Co-op
Lincolnshire Co-op says the introduction of bodycams has helped to deter theft and abuse

In November 2024, the Lincolnshire Co-op spent £200,000 on body camera technology for staff at its 99 food shops and 44 pharmacies.

The company said it had seen a 25% reduction in the number of incidents involving staff being abused and theft.

Jock Watt, the lead for security at the company, said: "The retail industry faces theft every day and we want to make our stores safe for our staff and customers.

"We see repeated offenders coming into our stores and we've had organised gangs coming in to hit several stores at a time. It's not necessarily down to the cost of living."

Lincolnshire Police said it acknowledged there was "always more work to do" to stop shop theft.

"Those who work in retail should be able to attend work without fear, or being subject to abuse or violence by those who steal from shops and businesses," a spokesperson added.

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