Shoplifting Awareness & Prevention

Shoplifting Awareness & Prevention

Hello local businesses,

This is your neighbourhood policing team with a quick update to help you protect your staff, stock and customers from shoplifting. These steps are simple, effective, and can help reduce losses and keep your workplace safer.

🛑 What Shoplifting Looks Like – Common Warning Signs

Shoplifters often work quickly and may try to distract staff. Here are behaviours that can be early indicators:

1. Picking up multiple items and putting them into bags or clothing

Loose clothing, open tote bags, foil-lined bags or large coats used in warm weather

Placing items inside prams without children

2. Avoiding staff interaction

Quickly looking away or walking off when greeted

Spending long periods in blind spots or low‑visibility aisles

3. Distracting behaviour

Asking complicated questions while a second person browses nearby

Creating disturbances to draw attention away from displays

4. Frequent visits without purchases

Returning several times in the same day

Hanging around outside the store or close to high‑value items

🔐 Prevention Tips for Your Business

These simple measures can make your business less attractive to offenders:

✅ Engage with customers

A friendly greeting shows people they’ve been noticed.
Confidence and visibility often deter shoplifters.

✅ Keep high‑value items near the till or within view

Good positioning makes it harder for offenders to walk out unnoticed.

✅ Use clear signage

Signs such as “CCTV in operation”, “Staffed areas”, or “Security tags in use” act as visual deterrents.

✅ Keep aisles tidy and well‑lit

Shoppers and staff can spot unusual behaviour more easily.

✅ Limit blind spots

Mirrors or simple layout adjustments can reduce hidden corners.

✅ Train staff on how to respond safely

Staff should never put themselves at risk.
Focus on awareness and reporting, not confrontation.

🚔 If Your Business Becomes a Victim

If shoplifting happens, please follow these safe steps:

🔹 1. Prioritise safety

Do not chase or confront offenders.
Your safety and your staff’s wellbeing come first.

🔹 2. Call us

999 if the crime is happening now or offenders are still on scene

101 or online reporting for non-urgent incidents
Provide:

A description of the suspect

What was taken

Any vehicles used

Direction of travel

🔹 3. Preserve any evidence

Keep CCTV footage

Keep packaging or discarded items

Note the time, date and anything unusual

🔹 4. Share patterns with your SNT

Your information helps us:

Map hotspots

Identify repeat offenders

Increase patrols

Work with partners and other shops to reduce theft across your area

🤝 We’re Here to Support You

We understand how stressful shoplifting can be for staff and business owners. If your store has experienced repeated issues, we can visit, offer security advice and help you strengthen your prevention setup.

Thank you for working with us to keep our local business community safe.

Your Local Policing Team- Hounslow.

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Message Sent By
Bob Swallow
(Metropolitan Police, Sgt and A/INSP for Hounslow Borough, WA BCU - Hounslow borough integrated licensing and ASB)