A DUNDEE city centre retail chief hailed the professionalism of shop staff in dealing with shoplifters yesterday after a dramatic incident in front of a crowd of onlookers.
A suspected thief with a bundle of clothes and other goods hidden inside his jacket bolted out from Peter Street, an access route from the major shopping thoroughfare of Murraygate.
He turned into Seagate with two shop staff in hot pursuit. They caught him and wrestled him to the ground, making him stay until police officers arrived and took him off to Bell Street headquarters.
The drama was witnessed by scores of shoppers out to get last-minute presents.
One man said: “I was sitting in my car in the Seagate waiting on my wife and daughter coming out of Marks & Spencer when I was alarmed by two men chasing a youth down.
“It looked like he had been shoplifting. The guy was soon pinned to the floor with his arm up his back, then all the goodies were relieved from inside his jacket.
“It appeared to be designer tops and boxes of goods.
“He was yelling ‘I’m only 15’. Another passer-by assisted and helped restrain the youngster, who was struggling violently. He was yelling at the top of his voice.
“Just then the police arrived and they let him up. He was frogmarched away to face the music.”
Police said last night that a 15-year-old male was apprehended for theft by shoplifting in an incident at Peter Street.
DD One chairman David Carson said: “Shop staff have to be extra vigilant at this time of year as shops are filled with people and not everyone wants to pay for goods.
“They also have to be very professional, and it looks like they were on this occasion and that they did the right thing.”
Shoplifting is an ever-present threat to retailers, who must deal with it in terms of actual incidents and cost implications to their business.
Retail crime in Dundee is tackled by Duncan the DUNdee Coordinated Anti-crime Network which works to reduce crime and the fear of crime for mutual benefit.
Its aim is to make Dundee city centre a safe and secure environment where people can live, work and socialise without fear of becoming a victim of crime.
Partners include retail businesses in the city centre, Dundee City Council, Dundee City Centre Action Group, Dundee Beacon Management Committee, Tayside Police, Dundee Community Safety Partnership and other agencies
The Centre for Retail Research in Nottingham has reported that thieves will steal an average of £40.14 per family in the UK in the run-up to Christmas.
The centre concluded that Christmas crime in the six weeks to the end of December would see shoplifting worth some £522.5 million, employee theft of £430.6m and supply chain fraud of £46.6m amounting to a total crime cost of £999.7m.
Retailers spend a great deal protecting their Christmas stock, customers and employees from criminals, and this expense is included in the cost.
The most stolen product lines include alcohol, women’s clothing and fashion accessories, toys, perfume and health and beauty gift packs, and electronic devices including smartphones and tablet computers.
Also popular with shoplifters are DVD gift sets and games consoles, Christmas decorations, electrical goods including hardware/DIY, watches and jewellery, chocolates and confectionery.
aargo@thecourier.co.uk