A staple high street fashion establishment is frequented by a young woman Hermione (not her real name) in Leeds, desperate to obtain items to feed her addiction to class A drugs. “Shoplifting means I can buy crack,” she says, stating she’s unable to afford her dependent drug habit any other way.
“It’s all about being confident and walking out with it as if you own it,” she explains as she boasts about the wooden door she walked out with from a popular DIY store. Her nonchalant attitude to breaking the law is balanced with her consuming addiction, knowing another object slipped into her bag gives her items to sell on for drugs. The ‘five finger discount’ includes clothing, cosmetics and food and is often ordered by request, with Hermione justifying that “stores can afford it.”
Shoplifting is at an all time high, with over half a million offences recorded last year, up from 29% in 2022. In the UK there are over 1,300 incidents recorded everyday, with businesses losing over £1.8 billion pounds annually from stolen goods. The cat and mouse relationship between security staff and shoplifters is set to continue, with figures continuing to rise and the festive season upon us.