GREGGS has axed self-service displays in new “fortress” stores in probably the most drastic anti-shoplifting drive but seen in the UK.
Staff on the sausage roll chain hand over food and drink from behind a theft-proof counter.
The transfer comes as annual shoplifting offences soar previous 500,000.
Last 12 months a Sun probe revealed powerless Greggs employees have been watching thieves strip cabinets with no police in sight. This month we reported that Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger have been hiring bouncers.
The Greggs West Croydon outlet in South London reopened days in the past following a “Pork Knox” refit designed to slash thefts and fight violence towards employees.
Stores in Croydon and Peckham, South London; Whitechapel and Upton Park, East London; Birmingham and Wilford, Notts, are testing the identical strategy.
The pilot scheme will probably be expanded if it really works for employees and clients.
A buyer on the West Croydon retailer mentioned: “The new look definitely isn’t what Greggs punters are used to — there’s nothing to nick!
“The solely objects anybody may take with out paying can be sugar or a serviette and a few stirrers.
“It’s a bit grim but they’ve clearly had enough of shoplifters.”
A employee in the Peckham retailer confided: “It does make life easier.”
Last 12 months a Sun investigation showed Greggs staff forced to watch shoplifters stripping cabinets with no cop in sight.
Our staff noticed dozens of thieves walk off with bakes and candy treats.
When a shoplifter was confronted at a department in Stockwell, South London, he gave the employee a fist bump, handed again a few of his stolen meals and strolled out.
In one other theft caught on digital camera, a girl appeared to grimace at cookies on show — earlier than deciding to steal some anyway.
Our two-day probe at 11 Greggs stores from Newcastle to Brighton recorded a median of not less than one shoplifting incident an hour.
The agency has even employed bouncers at a few of its 2,735 branches following clashes with thieves.
One staffer in West Croydon had tea hurled in his face, and a guard suffered a watch damage when a thief attacked him with a belt buckle.
Another employee on the retailer mentioned: “All drinks and snacks are being moved behind the counter. Customers can have to ask for all the things.
“The branch has struggled because of all the homeless outside taking drugs and drinking alcohol who come in and help themselves.”
‘MAKE STAFF SAFE’
MORE than half 1,000,000 shoplifting offences have been recorded final 12 months however the policing minister says she “will not rest until every shopkeeper and retail worker feels safe at work”.
There have been 509,566 offences in the 12 months to December — down from 516,611 in 2024.
Crime and policing minister Sarah Jones mentioned: “Readers are rightly drained of seeing thieves working riot on excessive streets.
“Shop theft is not a petty or victimless crime. Shop theft has fallen — our approach is working . . . we are taking tough action.”
She mentioned the £200 so-called “licence to steal” is being scrapped so offences will probably be handled as theft regardless of the worth, and a new National Police Service will release native forces to struggle crime in their areas.
Last month Adam Gosling, 39, was spared jail regardless of stealing £1,817 of foods and drinks from Greggs in Greenford, West London.
Uxbridge JPs heard he focused the department 38 occasions over six weeks — usually a number of occasions a day — grabbing handfuls of products price up to £100.
He acquired a four-month jail time period suspended for a 12 months.
This month The Sun revealed Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger have hired bouncers to guard food and drinks at chosen stores focused by shoplifters, together with in London and Manchester.
Marks & Spencer staff have been issued body-worn cameras.
And Sainsbury’s brought in checkout cameras to document clients who fail to scan all objects.
Lucy Whing, crime coverage lead on the British Retail Consortium, mentioned: “Criminals and organised gangs are concentrating on merchandise which might be simple to transfer and promote on.
“Ultimately such theft is not a victimless crime, it pushes up the prices for honest shoppers.”
Martyn James, a Sun Squeeze Team member and client champion, mentioned: “Over the final two years I’ve seen some appalling behaviour at Greggs from blatant theft to screaming abuse.
“But the very last thing we would like is our much-loved manufacturers turning stores into fortresses.
“So unless we want an end to self-service culture, we need to start calling out this criminality and report it to police.”
Marc Gander, of the Consumer Action Group, added: “Where are the police? They are the folks we belief to maintain shoplifting.
“I suppose they are under-resourced but they prioritise so many other things. High street theft seems to be reaching enormous proportions.”
Greggs mentioned: “This is one among quite a lot of initiatives we’re trialling throughout a really small variety of outlets that are uncovered to larger ranges of anti-social behaviour.
“Customers can expect to see our full range of great value and tasty Greggs favourites available from behind the counter.”
M&S BLAMES TECH
By Eleanor Gunn
SELF-service checkouts are main “good, honest people” to shoplift, the boss of Marks & Spencer has mentioned.
Chairman Archie Norman mentioned unmanned checkouts wanted to be “easier for people to use” to scale back rising charges of theft.
He added the expertise has damaged the “human link” between retailers and buyers.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he mentioned: “When normally good, honest people are buying their shopping and something doesn’t scan, they’re saying: ‘It’s not my fault and I don’t have much time so I’ll just put it in my basket’.”
Mr Norman mentioned retailers didn’t “have to bring back in-person checkouts”, however he mentioned “it does mean you’ve got to make the technology easier for people to use”.
