BBC
Martin Gaunt said he felt he had no choice but to make citizen's arrests
Faced with what he describes as a “relentless” wave of shoplifting, retailer Martin Gaunt says he has made more than 50 citizen's arrests over the past two years.
“These people will threaten you, they will raise their fists… There comes a time when you have to think about your own safety,” he says.
Anyone can arrest a person if they have reasonable grounds to believe a serious offense is being committed – but the National Police Chiefs' Council recommends calling 999 if a crime is in progress to happen.
As shoplifting reaches a record high in England according to the Home Office, some retailers say they have no choice but to tackle the thieves themselves.
Martin Gaunt sells a wide range of toys, gifts and collectibles
Standing in his Happy Piranha gift shop in Truro, Cornwall, with CCTV cameras above his head, Mr Gaunt says he feels no choice but to take on the criminals to protect the livelihood of his family.
He first approaches a thief to ask them to return the goods, he says, but he will “block their escape route” if they refuse – telling them he has the right to hold them until when the police arrived.
But sometimes it becomes violent.
After a young man took an “aggressive stance,” pinning his son to the ground, he intervened and was left with bruised ribs that he “felt for weeks.”
“At Christmas we see a dramatic increase in shoplifting,” he says.
“Absolutely relentless”
Mr Gaunt says police are “rarely, if ever” present when called – and the first thing they ask is if the criminal is “still there”.
“If you're making a civil arrest, you should get police intervention,” he adds.
According to the Office of National Statistics, there were 469,788 incidents of shoplifting in the year to June in England and Wales, an increase of 28% compared to 2023.
In Devon and Cornwall the situation was worse: an increase of 37% to 8,775 shoplifting crimes.
Martin Gaunt relies on 12 CCTV cameras and installs four more
What is a citizen's arrest?
Section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 confers the power of arrest without warrant on any person other than a police officer, which power can be used against any person committing a criminal act ; or any person they have reasonable grounds to suspect of committing a criminal act.
Criminal acts are those which are the most serious and which are dealt with in the Crown Court.
The person making the arrest must also have reasonable grounds to believe that it is necessary and must inform them of the offense they suspect of having committed, before calling the police as soon as possible.
“Call 999”
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead on acquisitive crime, said she was “committed” to reducing thefts and prosecuting offenders.
She says the Retail Crime Action Plan sets out guidance, including following all “reasonable lines of inquiry and prioritizing attendance at incidents where violence is involved or where an offender was arrested.”
She says people should “prioritize their own safety” and call 999 if a crime takes place.
Meanwhile, police face well-documented limitations: In May 2024, officers were instructed to consider making fewer arrests due to lack of space in jails.
Mr Gaunt adds: “I understand they lack funding and resources, but we need more positive collaborative action. »
Home Office figures show that fewer than 20% of recorded shoplifting offenses resulted in a charge or summons in the year to March 2024.
Louis Phelps says he found his own stolen stock
Louis Phelps and his partner, who own technical sales and repair store Gadgetverse in Exeter, claim that after a year in which almost £20,000 worth of stock was stolen, they themselves decided to hunt down and subdue a criminal.
Mr Phelps claims that among four attempted burglaries and three successful burglaries this year, one incident in February cost £12,000 in stolen equipment.
Police arrived quickly and carried out forensic work, he said.
But Mr Phelps says it was his own detective work, going from store to store in Exeter, which helped them track down their stolen goods.
“It was always in the same town – in fact, it was in several stores in town – literally within a mile and a half,” he says.
After finding stock at another local store, Mr. Phelps worked with his manager to wait there for the thief to return.
“We arrested him and brought the police to arrest him,” he adds.
Justine Hyde says they use social media to track down shoplifters and recover their inventory
Justine Hyde, who runs lifestyle store Hyde and Seek in Exeter, describes shoplifting as “pretty horrific” – with six incidents so far in 2024.
She says she follows people outside and challenges them, but this is often unsuccessful.
“The last time we arrested a lady, the police said it would cost too much to pursue this case, even though we knew who she was,” she said.
“We really do our own policing because the police are absent.”
Justine Hyde says shoplifting is 'horrible' in Exeter
The British Retail Consortium says retailers should not interact with criminals.
Tom Holder says shoplifting costs £2 billion 'and still rising', adding: 'This huge cost also brings with it the potential for violence and abuse, with retail staff potentially trying to 'stop the criminals'.
A survey of retailers released in February shows a 50% increase in levels of violence and abuse in stores.
Mr Holder adds: “Ultimately the job of catching and arresting criminals falls on the police.”
Ms Hyde says she and her staff upload shoplifters to social media in an attempt to track down their merchandise themselves.
Devon and Cornwall Police say they are committed to working with retailers to protect their premises – ensuring offenders are brought to justice when offenses are committed.
It indicates that resources are deployed where they can be most effective based on threat, risk and harm.
“We need to prioritize visiting places where violence is involved or where a shoplifter is arrested,” he adds.
A Home Office spokesperson said the government was taking “robust action”, removing the £200 threshold for low-value shop theft and making assault on a retail worker a specific offense.
“The NPCC recommends that only trained security officers detain offenders and that law enforcement will prioritize their participation in these incidents.”
“Deeper problem”
Andrew Sharman, co-ordinator of Exeter Business Against Crime, says shoplifting can often be caused by drug and organized crime operations.
He adds: “We can't get out of this by any means necessary… This is a deeper problem within society that needs to be addressed.
“The police here are the best force I have worked with, they are so proactive.”
Back in Truro, Mr Gaunt recognizes that shoplifting is a sign of much wider problems: “I feel hopeless, I want to give up. It's more than a stuffed animal at 20 £, it’s a broken society.”
