A phone call was made by an employee at Nine Crows to Pearse Street Garda Police Station last week. The purpose of the call was to report a recent act of shoplifting at the independent vintage clothing store, based in the Temple Bar district of Dublin. Just as this report was made, another theft was taking place. Faye Power, the regional manager, stressed the extent of the problem, explaining that it was not an isolated event, but one in a string of continuous thefts happening at an alarming speed.
The small independent shop, despite its popularity, doesn’t have ample resources to invest heavily in robust security measures, which puts the business at risk. The mounting pressure comes not just from the escalation of theft but even from other rising costs, security guards being an expenditure the shop can ill-afford. Power insists that theirs is not a lone case, as many shopkeepers in the vicinity are constantly reporting similar issues.
A surge in shoplifting incidents has been noticed across the country, the Central Statistics Office recently revealed. According to their data, theft-related crimes are at a five-year high. The year on year study for the 12 months ending in Q2 of this year showed a rise of 8 per cent in theft and related offences, equating to an increase of 5,354 incidents, almost half of which were shop thefts.
Jim Kenny, who has been running a Centra store in the southern Dublin village of Blackrock for over a quarter-century, claims that the Covid-19 pandemic intensified the theft problem. The scale of shoplifting, according to Kenny, has been “unbelievable” since the pandemic, with the store experiencing three to four instances daily.
Domestic shoplifting is a “daily problem” for many members of the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association (RGDATA), confirms director general Tara Buckley.
Kenny voices his concerns about the vulnerability of shops, owners, and staff due to inadequate support from the Garda in curbing thefts. He recounts certain episodes of theft wherein the offenders displayed aggression towards him or his colleagues. He notes a prevailing sentiment of unease owing to the lack of protection provided, necessitating self-defence measures by the businesses.
“Some individuals steal out of desperation, placing themselves in potentially hazardous situations,” Tara Buckley of the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association says about various reasons behind shoplifting.
Power remarks on the apparent lack of police resources, resulting in Dublin’s businesses feeling overlooked. According to her, even though on-site Garda members usually offer whatever assistance they can, those in upper leadership roles within the force and the government are failing to provide ample support amidst growing theft incidents.
Power notes that shop crimes reduced during major police operations in the summer, such as high-profile football games and concerts like Taylor Swift’s, signifying the impact of police presence in controlling crime. She laments that lack of support from law enforcement forces the staff to tackle these issues, hinting at the government’s role in the matter.
Without the necessary assistance, Power warns that Dublin risks losing its independent businesses, an alternative to fast-fashion behemoths. She adds that organised retail crime syndicates are a significant part of the problem, targeting expensive items like alcohol, cigarettes, and premium cuts of meat. Additionally, habitual shoplifters and fearless young individuals also contribute to these offences.
According to Inspector Damian Boland of the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit, shop owners have been expressing dissatisfaction over delayed responses and subsequent feedback to theft reporting from law enforcement authorities. Inspector Boland is in constant interaction with shop owners and their associations through biannual meetings and other events. He believes that the increase in theft statistics can be attributed to the Garda urging shopkeepers to report every incident of theft.
In response to the growing number of retail theft incidents, Operation Tairge was initiated in December last year. This operation focusses primarily on tackling retail crime, aiming specifically to disrupt organised retail crime syndicates (ORCs) and repeat offenders. Inspector Boland does not envision an end to retail theft but is hopeful that the rate will plateau and eventually drop if more culprits are held accountable for their actions.
“We are constantly promoting the reporting of theft incidents… If we actively pursue major offenders and ORCs and make these crimes less tempting”, says Boland, “it is likely to curb criminal acts of this nature.” The operation, since its inception in December, has seen numerous individuals charged with theft in court.
Garda materials on Operation Tairge indicate that retail theft leads to challenges in employee retention, hiring and maintaining workplace safety. According to Buckley, instances of aggression associated with such cases have a great impact on shop owners, employees and their families. She says that many employees are finding the environment too threatening and it is hard to keep them at work.
Nine Crows places high importance on the safety of its workers, says Buckley. She expresses her desire for employees to feel secure working in the city centres and not have to face such intimidating circumstances. She notes that individuals shoplift for a variety of reasons and often their desperation creates unsafe situations.
Power postulates that increased theft signals a broader societal issue. She observed that those involved in theft hail from all segments of society at their store. “It is simply prevalent among all people types,” she reveals.
“She illustrates her belief that there are much deeper problems leading people to resort to theft on a daily basis, rather than just mischief or a lark. She poses the question whether individuals are grappling with economic challenges, whether they are crushed under inflated costs or they’re experiencing immense pressure. She asserts that there can be numerous explanations for people mass pilfering at this juncture.”