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What does it take to get a bigger police presence out there when you need it? Waitrose and John Lewis seem to have found the answer to a national complaint: give them free coffee.
You have to admire the thinking, what with post-pandemic ills combined with the cost of living crisis causing petty crime to skyrocket.
According to Nicki Juniper, head of security at the John Lewis Partnership, which owns Waitrose, the rise in crime “isn’t driven by a need to put food on the table, but rather professional shoplifters stealing for greed over need.” But given “just having a police car parked outside can make people think twice about shoplifting”, Juniper hopes the free coffee runs will give British bobbies that little extra incentive.
Reactions to the “coffee for security” push have been mixed, with some hailing the idea “genius” and others questioning why the police need that mocha choca latte in order to do their jobs efficiently. “Are they going to start throwing in their weekly shop too?” balked one dissenter on Twitter.
It’s true that one can picture the freebies rapidly spiralling, as shops compete to have the biggest police presence, and policemen and women are spotted sauntering along the high street, Pretty Woman-style, with bags full of incentivised designer clothing, Calzedonia lingerie sets, Waterstones best-sellers and Lush bath bombs.
With retailers across the UK losing an estimated £1 billion a year to shoplifting, however, it’s no wonder shops are thinking outside the box when it comes to catching light-fingered customers.
Back in May, Boots began using a Big Brother-style tannoy system to scare off shoplifters. Some of the pre-recorded messages broadcast at a loud volume include: “Put the items back and leave the store.” And: “You have been recorded. The police will be contacted.” Enough to make anyone jump and put that £7 tub of Lurpak back on the shelf.
Another method security experts now advise is “loudly greeting every customer with ‘welcome!’ or ‘good morning!’ ” in an “I’ve got your number” way, although you can see how that kind of passive aggressivity might have even bona fide customers backing out of there at full speed. Meanwhile, smaller shops have gone as far as to ask shoppers to remove long coats and check in any bags when they enter.
Sadly, thieves are becoming ever more ingenious in tandem. Not long ago a police officer told me about the new trend for stealing expensive trainers from stores like Foot Locker: apparently they will now steal, say, one left Nike Air from a display in one shop, before hunting down the right shoe elsewhere. Another supermarket has reported a rise in people making holes in cheap large plastic-covered items such as toilet roll packs, and stashing expensive items inside before checking out at the self-service.
Again, you have to (begrudgingly) admire the work. But would any of these people stand a chance in a Waitrose filled to the hilt with dangerously caffeinated policemen?
Don’t laugh – caffeinated coppers might just stem the rise in shoplifting
John Lewis and Waitrose are offering free coffee to police in a bid to deter light-fingered customers, but theft is no joke for retailers