We’re delighted to share part two of our guest blog series from Kevin Chase, who works with the Retail Crime Task Force at Police Scotland. In part one, Kevin explored the scale and human cost of retail crime in Scotland — from rising violence against retail workers to the exploitation of young people. In this second instalment, Kevin looks to the future: what prevention actually looks like in practice, and why a different approach to prolific offending might be the key to breaking the cycle.
Can I help you? Prevention, prolific offenders and the future of retail crime in Scotland
By Kevin Chase, Retail Crime Architectural Liaison Support and Development Officer, Retail Crime Task Force, Police Scotland
I set the scene last month for retail crime and the impact on the community, businesses and workers who are abused or assaulted whilst working. That was the past and present day, so what about the future?
A quote from Cesare Beccaria in 1764: “It is better to prevent crimes than to punish them.” This is where the Prevent and Protect Team are heavily invested to reduce the incidence of theft by shoplifting and violence suffered by retail workers. The staff within the teams are passionate about protecting victims and communities as well as looking into supporting offenders. But first a little test.
The most powerful deterrent you’re not using
When you next go into a shop — it doesn’t matter if it is a supermarket, clothes shop or small shop — check to see whether a store employee asks the simple words, “Can I help you?” I can’t remember when I was last asked. In fact, if I am asked it is probably after standing looking at a product for 10 minutes and then I may be approached.
Why is this important? Professor Martin Gill is one of the leading academics in the field of criminology with a specialist skill in the prevention of retail crime. He is recruited to speak at engagement events around the world. We were delighted to host an event for him in November.
Professor Gill conducts “penetration testing” of stores. He asks people to steal a certain product within the store and bring it to him; he would then enter the store, return the product and advise the management team of how it was stolen. A simple test.
What his powerful research has revealed is that interaction by members of staff with people attempting to steal has a higher level of deterrence than any other crime prevention technique. A simple “Can I help you?” deters crime. It also doesn’t have a significant financial outlay compared to other strategies we would recommend. So why is this difficult to implement?
We recently visited a major retailer and put this approach to managers of stores. Is there a reason why staff members don’t ask customers if they require any help? The response varied from too busy with tasks; don’t want to pressurise the customer; and alarmingly, we don’t think our staff could do this…
A simple “Can I help you?” deters crime.
Securing the store
Next bit of homework. When you next enter a store, take a step back and look at the different crime prevention strategies a store has adopted. If you are within a supermarket, look at the alcohol section to see how many different bottle top devices there are. It varies from a plastic tag of various sizes that covers the bottle top itself, to a “spider net” around a bottle.
Various techniques are undertaken within retail to protect their product to prevent theft. Spider web wraps; bottle caps; containers; tags; garment guards; trolley guards — techniques all trying to achieve the same goal: preventing stock loss. However, some retailers highlight that the concern with target hardening is “customer experience”. Target hardening, or removing a product and replacing it with a card, may have a detrimental impact on sales and customers will simply shop elsewhere. We are engaging with retailers to provide commensurate advice ensuring the customer experience is not affected by product security.
A different approach to prolific offenders
Prolific offenders? There is research being completed in England to support prolific offenders. Offender 2 Recovery (O2R) schemes have had significant success in the West Midlands and have been rolled out in other parts of England. I recently met Rachel Rowlands, a brilliant individual, at a conference, and she passed on her thoughts on the O2R schemes. She wrote a blog about her findings.
Rachel met with individuals who have completed the course and some of the comments from service users are insightful. “So, tell me, what would have stopped you from stealing when you were an addict?” “Nothing. If I wanted to steal from a store, nothing would have stopped me.” Keeley was given a custodial sentence 22 times and spent 8 years in jail. As Rachel eloquently wrote — when do we realise that the current process was not working? Was it after the 21st custodial sentence?
When do we realise that the current process was not working? Was it after the 21st custodial sentence?
How about another approach. If, as the expression declares: spend £1 on prevention, save £8 on society and economy — then consider that during her addiction Keeley claims her drug habit was approximately £700 per day. To support her addiction, the cost to the retail sector to reach this figure would be more than £2,000 per day. Keeley, through her retail crime alone, was costing retailers up to £1 million per year. This figure is retail sector alone and does not include costs for the criminal justice system with courts, police and subsequent custody. One individual surviving addiction. Does this not mean we need a different approach?
With support from some key third sector organisations, People Plus especially, we are looking to provide a reciprocal approach in Scotland. There will be differences between the schemes, but the passion of all partners involved is the same, with all desperate to succeed with the aim of the project — to successfully support service users to find employment through several different employers. We need to break the desperate cycle of problematic substance misuse, arrest, imprisonment, release, problematic substance misuse, arrest, imprisonment, release (see above — this could be on 22 occasions).
Supporting young people
It is not just the adult population we are working with. Action for Children have worked successfully across several communities in Scotland. They are also supporting young people in Edinburgh who are committing theft by shoplifting. Their Sidestep scheme is a fantastic diversionary project positively changing young people’s destinations. Depending on success and impact, it could be rolled out further.
The quote I began with — “it is better to prevent crimes than to punish them” from Cesare Beccaria (often seen as the father of modern-day criminal law) — seems to be as valid today as it was in 1764.
We would like to thank Kevin for this thought-provoking two-part series. The work being done by the Retail Crime Task Force — alongside partners like People Plus, Action for Children, and the wider third sector — is a powerful reminder that community safety and criminal justice are deeply connected. If you’d like to find out more or connect with the Retail Crime Task Force, feel free to get in touch.
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