Shop thefts top £600m in 2014

The value of thefts affecting British retailers has reached its highest level in a decade, despite the overall volume of incidents falling, according to this year’s BRC Retail Crime Survey, released today. 

There were an estimated three million offences against UK retailers in 2013 to 2014, a decline of 4%, but the average value of each theft in-store increased by 36% to £241 per incident – pushing the direct cost of retail crime up to £603m in 2013 to 2014.

There were some 32 incidents of violence and abuse per 1,000 employees during this time.

In a statement, the BRC said the vast majority of respondents also reported suffering increasing levels of fraud, most of which is now committed online. Retailers warned they expect fraud to pose the single most significant threat to their businesses over the next two years.

Fraud increased by 32% in 2013 to 2014, accounting for 37% of the total cost to retail crime.

These trends are thought to be, in part, a consequence of retailers being targeted by more organised and sophisticated criminals.

The BRC has recommended that dedicated strategies to tackle business crime need to be developed by police around the country, in close partnership with businesses. It said: “A fundamental part of this approach is ensuring data on business crime is properly collected and analysed by police, so that it can be used to inform operational activity.”

Helen Dickinson, director general of the BRC, said:  “Criminal activity against UK retailers continues to have wide-ranging consequences for businesses, employees and the vast majority of honest shoppers.

“It is clear that retailers are facing an increasingly sophisticated criminal. Despite an average investment of £2m per business in crime and loss prevention, retailers need help and support to respond to the threat.”