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MADVENT CALENDAR
Tesco and WHSmith bosses forced to take drastic step to stop shoplifters nicking £2 advent calendars
A whopping £18billion a year is lost to shoplifters
STORES are slapping security tags on advent calendars worth just £2 — as shoplifters gear up for Christmas.
High street giants including WHSmith and Tesco are among those fitting anti-theft devices to even cheap festive treats.
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The Sun on Sunday spotted the yellow deterrent stickers on Bluey advent calendars worth just £2 and Dairy Milk and Maltesers versions for £2.75.
Entire ranges of toys, games and stationery were tagged in the same store.
Boxes of After Eight chocolate mints priced at £3.50 have also been slapped with the anti-pilfering devices.
Last week, we told how Christmas crackers and festive lights were being security tagged.
READ MORE ON SHOPLIFTING
Shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales have hit a 20-year high.
There were 469,788 incidents logged in the year to June, a 29 per cent hike on the previous year.
Martyn James, Sun Squeeze Team member and consumer champion, said: “It’s incredibly depressing retailers are having to attach security tags to even the cheapest Christmas advent calendars thanks to thieves.”
The British Retail Consortium said £18billion a year is lost to shoplifters.
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WHSmith and Tesco did not respond to requests for comment.
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