
Confronted with what he describes as a “relentless” onslaught of shoplifting incidents, shopkeeper Martin Gaunt says he has carried out greater than 50 citizen’s arrests within the final two years.
“These folks will threaten you, they may increase their fists… There comes some extent the place you do want to consider your personal security,” he says.
Anybody can arrest an individual if they’ve affordable grounds for suspecting a severe offence is being dedicated, and ready for the police can be impractical – however the Nationwide Police Chiefs Council says folks ought to name 999 if a criminal offense is going down.
With shoplifting at a report excessive in England in response to the House Workplace, some retailers say they don’t have any alternative however to deal with thieves themselves.

Standing in his present store Blissful Piranha in Truro, Cornwall, CCTV cameras above his head, Mr Gaunt says he feels left with little alternative apart from to entrance as much as criminals to guard his household’s livelihood.
He initially approaches a thief to ask them to return items, he says, however will “block their exit route” in the event that they refuse – telling them he has the appropriate to detain them till police arrive.
However generally it turns into violent.
After one youthful man took an “aggressive stance”, pinning his son to the bottom, he intervened and was left with bruised ribs which he “felt for weeks”.
“At Christmas we discover shoplifting will increase dramatically,” he says.
‘Completely relentless’
Mr Gaunt says the police “hardly ever if ever” attend when referred to as – and the very first thing they ask is that if the prison is “nonetheless on web site”.
“If you happen to carry out a civil arrest it’s best to get police attendance,” he provides.
In response to the Workplace of Nationwide Statistics, there have been 469,788 incidents of shoplifting within the yr to June in England and Wales – a rise of 28% on 2023.
In Devon and Cornwall it was worse – a rise of 37% to eight,775 shoplifting offences.

What’s a citizen’s arrest?
Part 24A of the Police and Felony Proof Act 1984 supplies energy of arrest with out warrant for an individual apart from a constable, which can be utilized in opposition to anybody who’s within the act of committing an indictable offence; or anybody whom they’ve affordable grounds for suspecting to be committing an indictable offence.
Indictable offences are these that are extra severe and handled in Crown Court docket.
The individual making the arrest should even have affordable grounds for believing it obligatory and should inform the individual concerning the offence they believe they’ve dedicated, earlier than calling the police as quickly as potential.
‘Name 999’
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, Nationwide Police Chiefs’ Council lead for acquisitive crime, says they’re “dedicated” to lowering theft and pursuing offenders.
She says the Retail Crime Motion Plan units out steerage, together with following all “affordable strains of enquiry and prioritising attendance in incidents the place violence is concerned or an offender has been detained”.
She says folks ought to “prioritise their very own security” and name 999 if a criminal offense is going down.
In the meantime, police are coping with well-documented limitations – in Could 2024, officers have been instructed to think about making fewer arrests due to the shortage of area in prisons.
Mr Gaunt provides: “I perceive they’re under-financed and under-resourced however we want extra constructive, collaborative motion.”
House Workplace figures present fewer than 20% of recorded shoplifting offences resulted in a cost or summons within the yr to March 2024.

Louis Phelps and his associate, who personal technical gross sales and restore retailer Gadgetverse in Exeter, say that after a yr through which near £20,000 of inventory was stolen, they resorted to monitoring down and restraining one prison themselves.
Mr Phelps says amongst 4 tried and three profitable burglaries this yr, an incident in February price £12,000 in stolen gear.
The police arrived promptly and carried out forensic work, he says.
However Mr Phelps says it was his personal detective work, going retailer to retailer in Exeter, that helped them discover their stolen items.
“It was nonetheless in the identical metropolis – in truth it was in a number of shops within the metropolis – actually lower than a mile away,” he says.
Having discovered some inventory at one other native store, Mr Phelps labored with its supervisor to lie in wait there for the thief’s return.
“We detained him and acquired the police to return and arrest him,” he provides.

Justine Hyde, who runs Hyde and Search way of life retailer in Exeter, describes shoplifting as “fairly grotesque” – with six incidents to date in 2024.
She says she follows folks outdoors and challenges them however it’s typically fruitless.
“Final time we caught a girl the police stated it was going to price an excessive amount of cash to chase this up, though we knew who she was,” she says.
“We’re doing our personal policing often because the police are absent.”

The British Retail Consortium says shopkeepers shouldn’t interact with criminals.
Tom Holder says shoplifting prices £2bn “and rising”, including: “With this large price additionally comes the potential for violence and abuse, retail employees doubtlessly making an attempt to cease criminals.”
A survey of shops it printed in February reveals a 50% enhance in ranges of retail violence and abuse.
Mr Holder provides: “Finally the job of catching and arresting criminals is one for the police.”

Devon and Cornwall Police says it’s dedicated to working with retailers on defending their premises – ensuring perpetrators face justice when offences happen.
It says sources are deployed the place they are often handiest primarily based on menace, danger and hurt.
“We should prioritise attendance the place violence is concerned or a shoplifter is detained,” it provides.
A House Workplace spokesperson says the federal government is taking “robust motion”, eradicating a £200 threshold for low-value store theft and making it a selected crime to assault a retail employee.
“The NPCC recommends solely educated safety guards detain offenders and forces will prioritise attendance at these incidents.”
‘Deeper situation’
Andrew Sharman, co-ordinator for Exeter Enterprise In opposition to Crime, says shoplifting can typically be pushed by way of medicine operations and organised crime.
He provides: “We are able to’t arrest our means out of it… It’s a deeper situation inside society that must be addressed.
“The police listed here are one of the best pressure I’ve labored with, they’re so proactive.”
Again in Truro, Mr Gaunt agrees shoplifting is an indication of a lot wider issues: “I really feel determined, I really feel like giving up. It is about a lot greater than a £20 teddy, it is a damaged society.”