British retailers are buying stolen goods from professional shoplifters

According to retail organisations, shops in the UK are buying stolen goods from professional shoplifters who steal to order for criminal gangs to fund their addiction problems.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said its members reported “numerous” and “very blatant and direct” incidents of shoplifting, with meat, cheese and alcohol products typically targeted.

Businesses are reporting seeing their items for sale locally or in Facebook or WhatsApp groups after they have been stolen.

James Lowman, the director of ACS, said he knew of other businesses, mostly smaller shops, also buying stolen goods.

Lowman said thieves were stealing to order and suspected buyers may have turned a blind eye because they weren’t sure the goods had actually been stolen.

He added: “What we’re seeing is a higher volume of theft by the same people who are professional shoplifters, often to feed addiction problems. And how do they do that? Well, they resell the products. And so we think there’s probably a stronger market for those resold products.

“And that’s something we’ve observed and talked about over the last few years.”

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Tagged: Economy

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