Co-op: Thousands of Shoplifters Walked Free After Being Detained

Shoplifters are walking free after being caught by undercover guards because police are failing to show up, says supermarket Co-op. Co-op said on Thursday that despite government intervention to crack down on retail crime, the failure of police to respond when security guards have detained thousands of thieves sends the message that shoplifting is free from consequences. Since the introduction of the Retail Crime Action Plan, police non-attendance rates had improved, Co-op said, but noted that officers are still failing to attend three in five cases where a shoplifter has been detained. The action plan, launched in October, includes a police commitment to attend the scene when store security had detained a suspected thief, to secure evidence, or when a shop worker had been a victim of violence....