Scotland’s retailers are dealing with an epidemic of shoplifting.

Official figures show there was a 17% rise over the last year to the end of June, with the total number of incidents skyrocketing to 47,000. This was the fifth successive annual increase, showing that the problem continues to worsen.

From recent conversations with retailers in Dundee, Inverness, and Glasgow it’s clear the industry views these figures as merely a small proportion of the actual number of thefts that occur. Given there are 22,500 shops the notion there were on average just two incidents per store over the year is fanciful.

Stores are taking a range of actions to minimise stealing. More products are being displayed in locked cabinets, or behind the counter, or being tagged. Retailers are spending record sums on crime prevention including body-worn cameras and CCTV. However, there is only so much retailers can do.

The sheer expense of implementing measures to combat crime, combined with the loss of goods, is costing UK retailers £3 billion annually. This affects all of us as it’s money........

© Herald Scotland