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Faced with what he describes as a “relentless” onslaught of shoplifting incidents, shopkeeper Martin Gaunt says he has carried out more than 50 citizen’s arrests in the last two years.
“These people will threaten you, they will raise their fists… There comes a point where you do need to think about your own safety,” he says.
Anyone can arrest a person if they have reasonable grounds for suspecting a serious offence is being committed, and waiting for the police would be impractical – but the National Police Chiefs Council says people should call 999 if a crime is taking place.
With shoplifting at a record high in England according to the Home Office, some retailers say they have no choice but to tackle thieves themselves.
Standing in his gift shop Happy Piranha in Truro, Cornwall, CCTV cameras above his head, Mr Gaunt says he feels left with little choice other than to front up to criminals to protect his family’s livelihood.
He initially approaches a thief to ask them to return goods, he says, but will “block their exit route” if they refuse – telling them he has the right to detain them until police arrive.
But sometimes it becomes violent.
After one younger man took an “aggressive stance”, pinning his son to the ground, he intervened and was left with bruised ribs which he “felt for weeks”.
“At Christmas we find shoplifting increases dramatically,” he says.
Mr Gaunt says the police “rarely if ever” attend when called – and the first thing they ask is if the criminal is “still on site”.
“Absolutely relentless” is how he describes the shoplifting problem, with an increase of 37% in Devon and Cornwall.
He relies on 12 CCTV cameras and is installing four more to try and tackle the problem.
Justine Hyde, who runs Hyde and Seek lifestyle store in Exeter, describes shoplifting as “pretty gruesome” – with six incidents so far in 2024.
She says she follows people outside and challenges them but it is often fruitless.
The British Retail Consortium says shopkeepers should not engage with criminals.
A survey of retailers it published in February shows a 50% increase in levels of retail violence and abuse.
Mr Holder adds: “Ultimately the job of catching and arresting criminals is one for the police.”
Devon and Cornwall Police says it is committed to working with retailers on protecting their premises – making sure perpetrators face justice when offences occur.
It says resources are deployed where they can be most effective based on threat, risk and harm.
A Home Office spokesperson says the government is taking “strong action”, removing a £200 threshold for low-value shop theft and making it a specific crime to assault a retail worker.
The NPCC recommends only trained security guards detain offenders and forces will prioritise attendance at these incidents.
Andrew Sharman, co-ordinator for Exeter Business Against Crime, says shoplifting can often be driven through drugs operations and organised crime.
He adds: “We can’t arrest our way out of it… It’s a deeper issue within society that needs to be addressed.
“Back in Truro, Mr Gaunt agrees shoplifting is a sign of much wider problems: “I feel desperate, I feel like giving up. It’s about so much more than a £20 teddy, it’s a broken society.”
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