Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
Pegasus is backed by the Home Office, John Lewis, the Co-op, M&S, Boots, Primark and several more, who have collectively pledged to provide over £600,000 to get the initiative off the ground.
It will deliver a new digital interface to streamline information sharing between retailers and the police and also provide training for retailers on appropriate information and intelligence to share with policing. However, there are some doubts that the initiative will be helpful to smaller c-stores.
Anita Nye, owner of Premier Eldred Drive Store, Orpington, Kent, said: “That won’t include our businesses only the big retailers that are putting up the money to help fund it. The thieves might start targeting the smaller shops instead. Not just convenience stores but also independent clothes shops etc.”
John Heagney, consultant and founding partner of the C-Store Collective, said: “I will believe this when I see it. On the BBC News last night Chris Philip, the government policing minister, referred to the police attending all cases where a shoplifter has been apprehended by “store security teams“ and we all know that convenience stores do not have, nor can afford these “teams”.
“I would be delighted if there was a zero-tolerance plan but we have heard similar pledges before. We need the police to attend every reported case, tough sentencing for offenders, tags applied, curfews, and grants for facial recognition systems for all stores linked to nationwide databases of convicted thieves.
“Those caught selling on stolen goods need to be targeted too. This current plague must be stopped. There is virtually no shoplifting in Dubai because the penalties are so tough, we should adopt a similar stance.”
Sue Nithyanandan, of Costcutter Epsom in Surrey, also feels affordability is a barrier among other concerns. “I would have concerns about privacy and data protection. [Facial recognition] is good for those who can afford to have lawyers backing them,” she said.
However, she has seen some improvement in police response since the issue has been highlighted in the mainstream news.
“We have been getting a little bit more of a positive response from police and I’m hoping we are going in the right direction. They are a bit more proactive. I had a case of £75 worth of shoplifted meat being investigated. First time in a long while.”
“Any measures that might help would be good but I’m not sure.”
Referring to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne’s recent comments, Nithyanandan added: “I even heard someone talking about tagging shoplifters! We’ll have to wait and see.”
Samantha Coldbeck, of Wharfedale Premier in Hull, said: “It’s encouraging to see the larger supermarkets funding initiatives to tackle organised shoplifting but independent retailers need support from their symbol groups as well. As a Booker retailer, I will look forward to discussing ways our supplier can support and assist us in this costly battle.”
Gaurave Sood, who runs Neelam Post Office and Convenience in Hillingdon, will need to be convinced that any new measures will help stores like his.
“We have had three separate incidents over two years where we have dialled 999 and were told they have no one to send. Were based in West London, not the countryside! Each time there was a weapon and threat to life involved,” he said.
“Instead once we were sent a reference number by text. So next time someone is armed in the shop again I can just hold up my phone and the reference number will protect us!”
“I understand they’re spread thin and have no resources etc. but we always have a belief that you can call 999 and they can stop the world ending.”
Some of these views were echoed by retail trade association BIRA whose CEO Andrew Goodacre said they welcome Project Pegasus and the Retail Crime Action Plan but added: “Actions will speak louder than words, particularly as we gear up for the busy holiday season.
“We are concerned that smaller retailers may become easy targets for criminals. It is imperative that robust measures are in place to ensure the safety and security of all retailers, regardless of their size.”
The Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) has welcomed the new Retail Crime Action Plan
