The Association of Convenience Stores has welcomed amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill that would make assaulting a shopworker a more serious offence.
Crime
Local Shops Welcome Government Action to Tackle Retail Crime Crisis
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the announcement of a series of measures aimed at supporting retailers and their colleagues in the battle against violent crime and repeat offending.
The measures announced today by the Prime Minister include:
- Assaulting a retail worker to be made a standalone criminal offence
ACS Welcomes Focus on Retail Crime in new Police and Crime Commissioner Report
ACS (The Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a new report published by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, highlighting the ways that PCCs across England and Wales are engaging with businesses to tackle retail crime.
The report, published today, follows the publication of the Retail Crime Action Plan in 2023 which establishes how police officers should respond to shop theft and violent incidents in stores. All police forces have signed up to the Action Plan.
Local Shops Call for Action as Violence and Abuse Tops Half a Million Incidents
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Government to take urgent action to stop the abuse and violence faced by people working in retail just for doing their job.
Local Shops Face Over 50,000 Incidents of Violence Last Year
2020 Crime Report Sets out Evidence for Action on Crime Against Convenience Sector
Britain’s local shops have been the victim of over 50,000 incidents of violence over the last year, according to new figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ 2020 Crime Report.
The Crime Report, being launched this week, provides evidence of the scale and impact of theft, violence, abuse and other crimes committed against convenience store retailers and their staff, setting out a clear vision for how the Government and the justice system can take action.
ACS Calls on Government to Tackle Violence Against Shopworkers
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has reiterated calls to the Government to take urgent action to tackle violence toward and abuse shopworkers, highlighting the human impact that these incidents have.
In a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (14th January) the Prime Minister called for Whitehall Departments to focus on tackling crime, stating that “every department should consider itself a criminal justice department” as part of the focus to tackle the “complex causes of crime”.
Penalties for Shop Theft Decline by 95% Over the Last Decade
The Ministry of Justice has published data on the number of penalty notices issued for shop theft under £100, showing a significant decline over the last ten years.
The statistical bulletin covering the year ending June 2019 found a 95% decline since 2009 from 49,445 penalty notices issued for shop theft offences under £100 to 2,278. Penalty notices or out of court disposals, are the most commonly used approach when dealing with shop theft offenders.
Home Office Minister Commits to Review of £200 Shop Theft Threshold
Home Office Minister Kit Malthouse MP has committed to a review of the £200 threshold for the police prosecuting shop theft offences after the General Election, as part of a debate on retail crime in Parliament today.
Retail Organisations Call for Urgent Action on Violence and Abuse Toward Shopworkers from Home Office
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has written to the Minister of State for the Home Office Kit Malthouse MP, calling for an urgent response to the call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shopworkers ahead of a parliamentary debate on prevention of retail crime.
In the letter, ACS revealed that there has been an estimated 200,000 assaults and threats of people working in retail and wholesale sector since the Home Office’s call for evidence closed.
ACS Urges Retailers to Respond to Violence and Abuse Call for Evidence
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched an online template to help retailers respond to the Home Office’s call for evidence on violence and abuse against shop staff.