A security guard has described tackling ‘kamikaze’ shoplifters attempting to steal hundreds of pounds worth of goods at a time.
Kane Manning is one of the workers on the sharp end of Britain’s retail crime epidemic, and says the problem is ‘getting worse by the day’.
He has apprehended and banned shoplifters, only to see them keep coming back to the shopping mall in Brighton where he works.
The 27-year-old spoke amid an ‘alarming’ rise in shoplifting, violence and anti-social behaviour at retail premises around the country.
He estimates the larger chain stores must be losing millions each year, based on what he and his colleagues are seeing.
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‘I have threats every day and people stealing large amounts of alcohol and meat, up to £500 or £800 at a time,’ Kane said.
‘When we catch them, they can become quite aggressive and threatening, it’s quite dangerous.
‘They get most aggressive when you catch them in the act, because they want to leave with the stolen goods.
‘They say things like, “I’m going to kill you” and “I’m going to get you after work”. When you do ban them, they keep coming back.
‘The justice system can’t stop them reoffending, it’s not tough enough and even though there are security staff the police need to patrol more.’
Shoplifting incidents rose 20% year-on-year to 2024, reaching the highest level since records began, according to official figures.
The security guard told Metro the demographic of offenders has widened, ranging from single mums to pensioners to children.
One aspect he has witnessed is ‘kamikaze’ shoplifting, where the thieves make little or no attempt to conceal their activities.
‘They put stolen items in their bags or in their jackets and they use cutters and clingfilm to get past the tags,’ Kane said.
‘A couple of weeks ago a woman had a full trolley worth £850 of food, meat and alcohol.
‘I recognised her, and she recognised me, and she couldn’t get out because the trolley locks itself if you don’t go through the self-checkout.
‘It’s happened a lot, I can’t stop them all.
‘On other occasions, they have tried to drag the trolleys or just put the items in their bags and run off.
‘They don’t care, it’s getting worse every day.’
What happens when you get caught shoplifting?
A security guard can make a citizen’s arrest if someone is caught in the act of shoplifting. Security guards are allowed to use ‘reasonable’ force to detain shoplifters under the Criminal Law Act 1967.
Ultimately, a person caught shoplifting may be arrested and put on trial.
A shoplifting conviction will result in a criminal record and a sentence. A police caution may be given as an alternative to prosecution. If accepted, this caution still comes with a criminal record.
If the goods are worth less than £200, the maximum sentence is six months’ custody. If the goods are worth more than £200, the maximum sentence is seven years’ custody
(Source: Sentencing Council)
The security guard believes he is only seeing the thin edge of much larger crimewave nationally.
‘I would say one supermarket alone is losing about eighty grand over six months, especially in food and alcohol,’ he said.
‘When you look across the larger supermarkets it must amount to millions every year. I’ve saved thousands of pounds every year.’
Kane nevertheless looks forward to work each day, working shifts of between 10 and 12 hours.
‘I do have good and bad days but I have good mental health and the job doesn’t affect me,’ he said.
‘It’s tough, but I do look forward to going to work each day.
‘There are many people trying to leave and get a different job because it’s not worth the money, but I’m going to carry on because I love the job.
‘I do my best to stop shoplifters.’
The UK is in the grip of an ‘unprecedented’ retail crime crisis of ‘alarming’ proportions, according to CCTV training operator Get Licensed.
Shoplifting has hit a record high in England and Wales since records began more than two decades ago, according to official figures.
There were 530,643 reported shoplifting offences in the year to March, a 20% increase on 2024, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Violence and intimidation of workers is also of huge concern to groups representing retail and security workers.
The rising cost of living has been widely cited as the key reason fuelling the surge in retail crime, with research showing a link between deprivation and the hardest-hit areas nationally.
Counter-measures taken by retailers include replacing products on shelves with dummy products or label tags, investing in better CCTV, hiring security guards and body cameras for staff.
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