Crime gangs targeting shops by using vulnerable kids costing hundreds of millions a year

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The claws of organised crime are driving hundreds of millions of pounds of annual shoplifting in Scotland retailers claim.A lack of effective deterrents and increasingly brazen tactics by thieves has meant thousands of shop staff face hugely escalating levels of threats and violence.Stephanie Karté, National Operations Manager of the Stirling-based Retailers Against Crime group, claims the latest official figure of £170 million a year lost by stores to shoplifting is a gross under-estimate of the real damage.The body, which has been dismayed to see retail crime explode year after year, keeps a database of “active offenders” that target shops in Scotland, now thought to number several thousand.Their members now report that the waves of new faces adding to career thieves who show contempt for the police and laws, is overwhelming.Karté said every single days brings reports of violent incidents in Scottish shops.And she says more police officers, better judicial responses and an orchestrated education programme for schools must be implemented to start to turn the tide.She said: “Retailers Against Crime have been here since 1997 and there was an identified problem then - but the numbers now are jaw-dropping .“The reality is that the figure of £170 million for shoplifting is masking the real figure, which is much higher, as much of the crime does not get reported.“Our organisation can highlight the problems but we can’t get boots on the ground and get more officers to protect stores.“Things need to change in the judicial system too, as there are no consequences, in many cases, for shoplifting and retail crime, and where there are no consequences the problems will perpetuate and get worse.”The Daily Record told yesterday how