Cover Story
HEN all is said and response to the so-called 56%
done, there is more reduction in internal theft – this is
New BRC chief is
W
said than done, an frankly wrong. I would say that the
adage Stephen number of incidents and the values
talking tough
Robertson, the new involved are increasing year on
director general of the British Retail year”
about talking
Consortium is painfully aware of. Another High Street name added:
He is happiest talking shop, or to “Shoplifting was at a similar level to
shops
be more precise, shops in the plural, previous years, but internal
but more to the point, he is talking investigations are up about 20% on
tough about the accusation of the last year”
BRC becoming a talking shop where Finally: “Reported known thefts
too much is said and little is done. It are up and are at total odds with
is the day after the BRC’s Retail the BRC figures”
Crime Survey was unveiled in When Robertson took over the
London and there has been some top job from Kevin Hawkins earlier
discrepancy over the figures from this year, an article in the Times said
certain quarters of the retail sector. that a tougher stance on key retail
This resulted in an open letter to issues would win over retailers who
Retail Week, the industry ‘Bible’ had either fallen out of love with
accusing the BRC of being out of the BRC and left, or simply never
touch and an apologist for a joined.
Government that has singularly While Hawkins was more
failed to tackle business crime. combative, Robertson is more
The BRC’s overall findings report collaborative, reaching out to the
that the current economic disenfranchised voices in the
downturn stands to wipe out falls industry.
in retail crime, according to the Two years ago at the same BRC
press release. The same Crime Survey launch Hawkins
announcement polled from the 42 famously answered one critic’s
per cent of the BRC’s membership question about the growth of e-
claims that customer theft has crime with a wilting put down: “It is
dropped by 26 per cent in the year not a issue I am familiar with”
to April while employee theft has It is little wonder criticisms of
fallen by 56 per cent. relevance of the BRC followed, but
Although the BRC figures claim this year for the first year the body
that there are still one shoplifting has included internet crime and
offence committed in the UK every related fraud as part of its figures
90 seconds, some reading these reporting that a massive 85 per cent
findings believe they do not had experienced it and 64 per cent
represent the reality in their stores. had seen e-crime increase in the last
The Retail Loss Prevention
Fashion Forum, a lobbying
organisation made up of all the
heads of profit protection from the
“WE HAVE MET WITH
High Street’s clothing and accessory
A BROAD CHURCH
retailers, is one such critic. Its
members were vociferous in their
OF RETAILERS AND
condemnation of the figures and in
their letter to Retail Week accused HAVE SET OUR
the BRC of giving the Government
the excuse it needed for doing
CRIME AGENDA
nothing about retail crime.
ALONG THE LINES
One wrote: “As always the
shoplifting stats have suffered a
OF THE PRIORITIES
great deal of under reporting both
to the police and internal company
SET BY OUR
departments. Also as the perceived
threat of violence increases in store
MEMBERSHIP’S
there is an increased reluctance on
LOSS PREVENTION
Stephen the part of sales staff to intervene
Robertson and detain or report shoplifting. In PEOPLE”
ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2008 • 15
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