Organised crime gangs travelled to Glasgow to nick designer gear

The theft to order tactic at Glasgow’s Silverburn came to light after cops revealed they plan to introduce 12 more cops in the city centre to tackle retail crime such as shoplifting in the run up to Christmas.

Top cop Superintendent Derrick Johnston said: "We had an issue with organised crime groups in Silverburn where there was a group coming up from the East Midlands and they were targeting some of the high end shops like Flannels, TK Maxx where it was theft to order."

This is just one of the many crimes that the city’s retailers have faced after a recent conference revealed retail crime has risen by more than 60% across Scotland since 2021.  

Thankfully retailers who come together as part of the membership are better equipped to handle these crimes.

He added: "Through Retailers Against Crime membership we were able to get on top of that pretty quickly and identify individuals."

(Image: Newsquest) In Glasgow itself, recorded retail crime rose by 37% from 2022/23 to 2023/24.  

At just over halfway through the financial year figures recorded since April 1 can’t yet be compared but police are noting a similar percentage increase so far. 

The average detection rate over the last five years sits between 41% to 55% in the city.  

Currently, to facilitate the city centre policing plan on Friday and Saturday nights, officers are brought in from other areas of the Glasgow.  

Supt Johnston explained: "By increasing police officer numbers within the city centre itself, we’ll save those abstractions, and it will allow officers to remain in their communities to proactively address issues. 

"That aside, it will give more of a focus and opportunity to be proactive and to pull together things like a Retailers Against Crime Day of Action actually proactively targeting as opposed to reacting."

Supt Derrick Johnston (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) In order, the most commonly stolen items are clothing, alcohol, cosmetics and groceries. 

Supt Johnston says the reasons for the rise in shoplifting are "multifaceted" with factors such as the cost-of-living crisis, serious organised crime, changes in the retail environment such as less staff, the criminal justice system, addiction and mental health issues and opportunism all playing a part.

He said: "Poverty and the cost of living absolutely [have an impact], but to what ratio we can attribute that is difficult to put a finger or figure on. 

"When police do encounter people who are struggling financially and shoplifting as a means to an end, they submit a vulnerable person reports which allows them to be flagged to social work and for further support to be put in and signposted."

Shoplifting is not the only thing on the rise however as violence towards shop workers has also increased.  

The Scottish Grocer Federations (SGF) Crime Survey 2023 found that 92.8% of retailers who responded said violence against staff occurs at least once a week while 57.5% said violence against staff had increased in the past year.  

The Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill became an act in 2021 giving greater protection to shop workers by making it a specific offence to threaten or abuse them.  

Since the start of this year, 955 incidents have been reported in Glasgow under the legislation, showing a rise with 529 incidents being reported in 2023 and 419 in 2022.  

Supt Johnston says the rise could partly be attributed to the fact the legislation has given shop workers the confidence to come forwards and report such incidents as they have become more comfortable with the legislation and what it covers.  

Insp Jon Watters (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) However, both Supt Johnston and Inspector Jon Watters, Community Inspector for Glasgow City Centre, both believe there has been a "societal change" which has led to physical and verbal abuse becoming more common but say there is no "magic answer" for why.  

Insp Watters said: "I think it's right across the board where someone commits a crime and they get challenged then quite often they won’t just go quietly.  

"They’ll shout or resist violently to it. But we don’t know what the prime drivers for that are. 

"These are some of the lowest paid people in the economy and it’s quite often shoplifting accompanied by verbal threats or violence."

Supt Johnston continued: "I think society coming out of Covid is more complex than it’s ever been.  

"I think the societal changes we’ve seen in terms of lack of respect and the changes generally all contribute to that rise."

(Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) In order to tackle the rise in retail crime, police are following the ‘four Ps’ in their response – prevent, prepare, protect and pursue.  

Work includes having campus officers at high schools and engagement with primary schools.  

A project called One Community Scotland has long term funding and will work with young people including those from ethnic minorities who sometimes feel excluded from society in an effort to build connection between them and police.  

There is also a project expected to live next year called Common Ground, led by Barnardo’s, which will have youth workers working in key locations alongside police.  

Supt Johnston commented: "No matter what the subject is getting in early to speak to our young people does have an impact."

They are also using data to identify the market for stolen goods, developing snapshots of retail crime hotspots and are prepared make greater use of bail conditions, city centre exclusion orders and ASBOs.

Crime Prevention Survey Officers are helping retailers by looking at store layouts and information is being shared through groups such as the Retailers Forum. 

Supt Johnston has encouraged retailers to continue reporting crime.

He said: "There is a zero tolerance to crime in the city and we will take action where we’ve got an identified offender, and we will work towards identifying offenders.  

"My message is to continue to work with us, continue to report shoplifters."