Rash of shoplifting driven by middle-class thieves ‘looking for a kick’
Store bosses report a spike in thieves who 'get a kick out of not paying for a bottle of wine or their Friday night steak'.
MIDDLE-CLASS shoplifters are on the rise — raiding stores for luxury items like cheese, wine and fine Swiss chocolate such as Lindt.
Store bosses have reported a spike in “affluent, middle-aged” looters who “get a kick out of not paying for a bottle of wine or their Friday night steak”.
Favourites of shoplifters are high-value items such as meat, cheese, wine, coffee, large bars of chocolate including Green and Blacks and Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
One manager, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the raids have become a national crisis after seeing his and other stores' 'shrink' (unknown loss) double over the past year.
He went on to say the losses nationally were “astronomical and unsustainable”.
A second said: “We’re not talking a few people stealing to feed themselves; they will clear whole shelves, go behind checkouts and take spirits, coffee, detergents, wine, chocolate.”
