Latest news with #JohnNussbaum
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
New map shows UK streets hit hardest by 'Kamikaze' shoplifting
As 'Kamikaze' shoplifting sweeps Britain, a new crime map has revealed the high streets most plagued by the retail theft 'epidemic' - use our interactive map to see how it compares where you live A new map has revealed the UK high streets hit hardest by a wave of 'Kamikaze' shoplifting - as brazen thieves snatch goods in plain sight with little fear of consequences. More than 500,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in 2024 - a 20% surge on the previous year, and the highest since records began more than 20 years ago. Over half (56%) of retail workers say they've witnessed so-called Kamikaze shoplifting - blatant, in-your-face theft - in their workplace, according to research by SafetyCulture. One in eight (13%) say it happens daily, and over a third (37%) see it weekly. The British Independent Retail Association (Bira) calls it a 'tipping point', warning some offenders now believe they can 'walk into a shop, take what they want in full view of staff and customers, and walk out knowing there will be no consequences.' Adding to the trend, security firms report a 'massive increase' in pensioners shoplifting - driven by cost-of-living pressures. 'For us over the last 12 months, we've got this different level of crime now. We're now experiencing something different - pensioners, people who don't normally shoplift,' said John Nussbaum of Kingdom Service Group. The crime map reveals Leeds City Centre as the worst-hit area, with 3,004 shoplifting offences in 2024 - that's one every three hours. Fitzrovia West & Soho in Westminster followed with 2,430, and Brighton's North Laine & the Lanes came third with 2,116. Also ranking high on the list is Cathays South & Bute Park in Cardiff (1,753), the City of London (1,687), Central Birmingham (1,407), Newcastle City Centre (1,240), Liverpool's Central & Islington district (1,240), and Stone & Crossways in Dartford (1,229). Crime figures are available for every one of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods in England and Wales, except areas covered by Greater Manchester Police, as the force has not supplied crime data for the last year. The figures cover neighbourhoods with between 7,000 and 10,000 residents, which the government designates as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs). The statistics do not include crimes reported at train stations, as British Transport Police record them. You can see how retail theft compares near you using our interactive map. The news comes after a former shoplifter who once stole £3 million worth of goods says Brits now have 'a licence to steal' as shoplifting hits record highs. Cullan Mals, 32, used to steal up to £2,000 a day - as much as £14,000 a week - before turning his life around. He says soft sentences made it easy: 'People now have a licence to steal and it's getting even worse with the cost-of-living crisis.' Now a podcaster working with a drug recovery charity in Cardiff, he believes tougher penalties are the only solution: 'People now have total licence to steal. I think personally, if it's on an organised level, the sentences need to be harsher because at the end of the day these people know penalties are weak. When you go to an off licence, everything is behind Perspex - it's a bit dystopian but it works. Big supermarkets should lock up all meat, booze, aftershave, and then just have a guy there whose job it is to unlock the goods for shoppers.' His comments come as repeat offender Martyn Boyns was arrested and charged with nine counts of shop theft and one of fraud in Penzance and Newlyn. The £1,200 haul included nappies, perfume, meat, and booze. Penzance Police, who announced the arrest on Facebook, said officers had been 'working tirelessly' to gather evidence. Boyns has now been banned from several shops and four streets in the town. Another former shoplifter, Keeley Knowles - once known as 'Birmingham's most prolific' - stole thousands of pounds' worth of goods to fund her heroin addiction. After 28 prison stints, she's now 18 months clean and working to inspire recovery. She credits her turnaround to West Midlands Police 's Offending to Recovery programme, which began in Erdington in 2018 and is now expanding to Coventry, Dudley, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. The scheme was developed after research showed 70% of shop theft was linked to heroin and crack addiction. Meanwhile in Edinburgh, shopkeeper Majid Mohamed says his mobile phone accessories and repair shop is regularly targeted - especially during peak tourist seasons. 'It depends on the time of year really how bad shoplifting is, it's particularly bad at Christmas and New Year and of course The Fringe, the busy times for the city,' he said. 'We have CCTV but when they are in groups they provide cover for each other. Sometimes items are stolen without us even noticing until too late. And even though we have the cameras the thieves don't seem to care, it's a 'what are you going to do' kind of attitude, pretty intimidating.' Jeff Moody, Bira's Chief Commercial Officer, said: 'The fact that shoplifting has reached this unprecedented level is frankly alarming, but it's the brazen nature of these crimes that's particularly concerning. What's particularly troubling is that half of our members are now choosing not to report thefts because they've lost faith in getting any meaningful response. 'The harm to retailers goes far beyond the immediate financial loss. Independent businesses operate on wafer-thin margins, and every theft chips away at their ability to invest, grow, and employ people. We need urgent action from police forces to treat retail crime with the seriousness it deserves, and for the courts to send a clear message that this behaviour won't be tolerated.' Shoplifting was first described as an 'epidemic' in 2023 by Dame Sharon White, the chair of John Lewis Partnership, and since then, crime - and the cost to retailers - has spiralled. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retailers footed an 'eye-watering' £4.2 billion bill from crime last year, including £2.2bn lost to shoplifting, and £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures.
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Daily Record
Shoppers urged to 'tell on' self-checkout thefts as survey reveals 37% admit to shoplifting
Security gurus are encouraging shoppers to alert shop staff if they witness someone failing to scan an item at self-checkouts, a trend that is bleeding the industry of more than £4billion a year. Surveys indicate nearly two in five shoppers deliberately swipe goods without scanning them at self-service checkouts, slashing retailers' revenues by over four percent of their total sales. Kingdom Security, allied with a host of leading retailers and supermarkets throughout the nation, notes the 'scan and swipe' trend swamping shops has become commonplace for many since the Covid pandemic began. New data from The Grocer show that 37 percent of supermarket customers intentionally neglect to scan one or more items at self-service stations. A nationwide survey querying 1,000 UK residents revealed that 32.5 percent confess to cheating the system by weighing loose commodities inaccurately to shave off their shopping costs. John Nussbaum, Director of Service at Kingdom Security's Retail Division, said: "It's alarming to see this rise over the past years and our officers are only seeing more and more theft in supermarkets and shopping centres across the country. "While some might think this is somehow a lesser offence than outright stealing without paying for a thing, stealing from a machine is still stealing from the store, and ultimately stealing from fellow customers through increased costs. "The reduction of face-to-face contact at checkouts has made some feel emboldened to shoplift in this way. We're urging vigilance to all supermarket shoppers. "If you see shoplifting at a self-service checkout, immediately report it to instore security or staff. If you are tempted to steal at self-checkouts, remember this is a serious offence that isn't worth doing to save a few pounds." Shoplifting adds over £137 to the average UK household's annual food bill, with inflation adjustments taken into account, according to the Police Foundation's predictions. A significant portion of this expense stems from the measures that retailers take to ensure protection against theft and security investments aimed at curbing the annual loss of £4 billion in potential revenue, reports Bristol Live. John further stressed the importance of not taking direct action when it comes to apprehending shoplifters, highlighting the necessity for public safety. John continued: "I'm advising caution to those considering confronting shoplifters, ensuring your personal safety isn't risk is of the utmost concern. "If you see shoplifting in store, immediately alert shop security or call the authorities to intervene, as they are specifically trained to deal with these situations."
Wales Online
20-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Greggs makes major change amid shoplifting rise
Greggs makes major change amid shoplifting rise The customer experience is about to become a lot less independent The beloved franchise is trying to clamp down on shoplifters (Image: GETTY ) Greggs customers might notice a major change that feels like their favourite products are disappearing. However, they can rest assured their sandwiches, drinks and other snacks are still there, just more hidden away. The bakery chain is trying to curtail the rise in shoplifting. The staggering increase in thievery has seen many high street stores and supermarkets clamping down on security or even changing their checkout procedures. Greggs will be removing their self-serve fridges and placing these products, like sandwiches and drinks, behind the counter with the rest of their baked goods. This new policy will mean customers now have to get the help of a shop assistant to hand over their items instead of being able to quickly grab it themselves. Customers that are used to popping in and quickly grabbing their items will now have to wait in line first. The new measures will be trialled out at only five stores that have been particularly exposed to anti-social behaviour. This will include those in Whitechapel, Peckham and Ilford. The BBC reported it's not expected for these measures to be rolled into all 2,600 Greggs bakeries across the UK. Article continues below But it could make an appearance in other sites facing high levels of theft. A Greggs spokesperson told the Independent: 'This is one of a number of initiatives we are trialling across a handful of shops which are exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour. 'Customers can expect to see our full range of great value and tasty Greggs favourites available from behind the counter. The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority.' The Office for National Statistics noted that in 2024, shoplifting offences rose by 20%. This marks 516,971 instances of shoplifting reported to the police. However, the number of thefts retailers recorded last year were far higher, hitting more than 20 million according to the British Retail Consortium. Some have reported being targeted by organised gangs. These shoplifters work in teams, communicating through Bluetooth headsets to trigger alarms and create distractions. Thus allowing their fellow shoplifters to escape. Shoplifting incidents have been steadily rising since a sharp spike appeared during the pandemic. This was attributed to the higher cost of living that started to skyrocket at the time. Article continues below But it's not the same shoplifters that are being caught nowadays. John Nussbaum, director of service for retail at Kingdom Security, explained that a worrying number of thieves are now over the state pension age. He explained: 'For us over the last 12 months, we've got this different level of crime now. We're now experiencing something different - pensioners, people who don't normally shoplift.' It's become a crime of necessity as the security expert noted: 'We've seen a massive increase in pensioners shoplifting, putting a jar of coffee in their bag and one in the trolley, that sort of thing. We've had instances of mothers caught shoplifting when they're with their kids."
Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Pensioners are shoplifting ‘because they can't afford to eat'
Food retailers have seen a 'massive' increase in pensioner shoplifters over the last year, a security firm has said. John Nussbaum, a director at Kingdom Security, said his staff were seeing a 'different sort of shoplifter now' as the cost of living pushes people to do 'something they've never done before'. Kingdom Security, which provides services for hundreds of shops across Britain, was receiving 20 to 30 reports of shoplifting a week involving 'people who just can't afford to buy food', Nussbaum said. He explained: 'We've seen a massive increase in pensioners shoplifting, putting a jar of coffee in their bag and one in the trolley, that sort of thing,' John Nussbaum said. 'For us over the last 12 months, we've got this different level
Epoch Times
12-05-2025
- Epoch Times
‘Massive' Increase in Pensioner Shoplifters in Past Year, Security Firm Reports
Food retailers have seen a 'massive' increase in pensioner shoplifters over the last year, thought to be down to cost-of-living pressures, a security firm has said. John Nussbaum, director of service for retail at Kingdom Security, said his staff were seeing a 'different sort of shoplifter now' as the cost of living 'pushes people to something they've never done before.' Kingdom Security, which provides security services for hundreds of stores across the country, including supermarkets, convenience stores, and shopping malls, was receiving 20 to 30 reports of shoplifting a week from across the UK involving 'people who just can't afford to buy food,' Nussbaum said. He said: 'We've seen a massive increase in pensioners shoplifting, putting a jar of coffee in their bag and one in the trolley, that sort of thing. 'For us over the last 12 months, we've got this different level of crime now. We're now experiencing something different—pensioners, people who don't normally shoplift. 'We've had instances of mothers caught shoplifting when they're with their kids. Related Stories 3/13/2025 12/23/2024 'We're used to seeing the organised gangs, that's the norm, but the types of people being caught now has changed.' He estimated that 5 percent of all those caught shoplifting by Kingdom staff on a weekly basis were aged over 50. 'We've not seen this before, and I've been in security for 30 years. Ten years ago, five years ago, you wouldn't have seen this kind of theft. We put it down to the cost of living. People can't afford to spend £10, £20 on food. It's desperation.' He added: 'Retailers don't tend to involve the police when they're dealing with pensioners. Stores tend to want to handle it on their own. 'It's not good publicity for a supermarket if it got out that a pensioner had been handed over to the police for shoplifting.' Nussbaum's comments follow figures showing that the number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales in a year has passed half a million for the first time. A total of 516,971 offences were logged by forces in 2024, up 20 percent from 429,873 in 2023. The figure is the highest since current police recording practices began in the year to March 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Shoplifting offences have been running at record levels for the past two years and have seen a 'sharp rise' since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ONS said. Additionally, Nussbaum said, staff were seeing 'terrible violence now, every day' from organised gangs, with one employee punched in the face just this week and those working at a shopping centre north of London wearing stabproof vests. He said: 'It's not unusual to come across guns on site. 'We carried out a big operation with police to clean up the city centre, which included the shopping centre. We found knives, drugs—there's a lot of drug-dealing going on. 'We have a quick response unit for one of our bigger retailers which can get to places very quickly and is highly trained for a variety of incidents and safeguarding. 'But you have to remember that retail staff also have to deal with this every day.' He said: 'There's no fear any more. 'If someone gets arrested they might get a fine or spend a night in jail. There's no deterrent any more. There's nothing to stop these people. 'We've had prolific shoplifters who get arrested and they're back two days later. We have this quite a lot.' Nussbaum said he supported facial recognition technology being trialled by Asda at five of its Greater Manchester stores, involving customers' faces, picked up on CCTV, being scanned and compared against individuals on an internal watchlist. The watchlist, compiled by Asda, is made up of individuals staff suspect have been involved in 'theft, violence and/or fraud in Asda stores,' although they may not be convicted of any crime. Home Bargains, Southern Co-op, Budgens, Costcutter, and several independent convenience stores use similar technology.
