Food items among most stolen as retail crime surges in Mid and East Antrim

Meat and other foodstuffs are among the items most frequently stolen from shops in Mid and East Antrim, according to crime prevention officer Paul Black.

The PSNI officer told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that there has been “a big increase in shoplifting” in the borough since the pandemic.

“There are two types – those who are desperate for food and those who are stealing to order,” he said.

Speaking at a public meeting of the Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership at Carrickfergus Town Hall on Thursday evening, the officer outlined details of a Shop Safe scheme available to retailers.

A 60-minute staff training session, launched at Belfast’s CastleCourt and Victoria Square shopping centres, has now been rolled out to businesses in Ballymena.

He indicated that retail theft is “on the increase as an impact of the cost of living crisis”, and warned that some shoplifters are carrying tools such as hammers, pliers, knives and magnets.

“We try to teach staff members to engage with customers if it looks likely they are going to steal something. It shows they have already been seen. It gets their head up and creates paranoia. Good service is good security.”

The officer reminded retailers that they have the authority to remove someone from a shop.

“Ask them to leave, tell them to leave, then tell them if they do not leave, you will contact police. If a disruptive person refuses to leave, they will be removed by police,” he stated.

“You can tell them that if they do not leave immediately, you will phone the police, they are on camera and being recorded, and police will remove them.”

He added that someone lingering in a particular area of a shop is often a “tell-tale sign” of potential theft. He also highlighted distraction techniques involving large groups entering premises together to steal.

Retailers in Carrickfergus have also reported anti-social behaviour in the town centre involving groups of young people.

Shop owner Samantha Dale said that “vast groups” of children and teenagers are entering her High Street shop in groups of up to 30. Shop worker Ann Barclay reported young people congregating at North Street “in their hundreds” on some evenings.

“The power of social media makes it easy for them to meet up and go from four to 40 in a short space of time,” Samantha said.

“I do not have any bother with them. I would have a good rapport with the kids. They know they are not going to be able to buy vapes or sold cigarettes. They just hang about. They are bored.”

At a recent meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Economic and Environment Committee, Carrickfergus Castle Ulster Unionist Councillor Robin Stewart expressed concern over fireworks being thrown inside the De Courcy Shopping Centre and other anti-social behaviour which he said has been taking place there in recent months.

For further information about the ‘Shop Safe’ scheme in Mid and East Antrim, email Paul.Black@psni.police.uk.