How Would You Stop These Champagne Gangs Stealing from Our Supermarkets ?
In the News
These Romanian criminal gangs are not just stealing random items from supermarkets, they are targeting luxury goods like champagne that is much sought after back in their own country
They operate like agents in the movies, working in small teams using bluetooth headsets to communicate with each other
Despite the supermarkets upgrading their security regarding the trollies with technology to track them and put a brake on the wheels, the thieves stopped using them and turned to using bags and baskets instead
Up to now they have got away with more than £2.4 million in luxury goods
The problem is if they are caught they are just fined or sent back to their own country
I think all supermarkets should have these items locked in cabinets and only given at the till after they have been paid for , maybe at a certain collection point
The supermarkets could put a few dummy bottles on display filled with water , that would take the sparkle away lol
What ideas can you think of that supermarkets could adapt to fight these types of crimes ?
www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/inside-70k-champagne-gang-shoplifters-30193506
Perhaps if people actually got punished for such crimes, that might deter them…the punishment isn’t harsh enough to stop them from trying
telmel police don’t usually turn up unless the theft was violent, and even then it takes time for them to respond - most thieves are long gone with the goods before they show up. They may be more responsive to higher valued crimes, but the criminals usually do it again and again as they’ve gotten away with it in the past
If its such a high amount of money perhaps 20 years forced labour. Such situations will probably drive us to elect someone like Nigel Farage eventually. We have tried moronic idealistic politics for far too long, we need practical politics and unless the mainstream parties come up with proper solutions to problems people will eventually be forced to try more right wing solutions. Conservatives completely failed to get a grip on such problems and I really can't see Labour solving it either. Harsh punishments are the real deterrent but harsh punishments mean far less people will be punished anyway as its a greater deterrent.
BonzoBanana or Sudan court sentences three men to hand amputation for stealing
This article is more than 1 year old
The verdict, the first of its kind in almost a decade, has shocked many who fear country is sliding back into state extremism
no pay their airfare and they become the Sudan authorities responsibility. No benefits or NHS there.
Until there’s actually a deterrent (a proper sentence) then nothing is going to happen I’m afraid. They aren’t bothered by cameras, staff etc as they know all it will be is a slap on the wrist and on you go
I think we are in a ridiculous situation. The prisons are overcrowded so are being released anyway. There’s hardly any punishment. I think locking high value items away might be an answer. If Argos, Costa and McDonalds can use screens for placing orders why not do that? Someone from stockroom gets it to the checkout for you. I’m only thinking high value items though.
telmel Much easier I think to have membership schemes, places like Costco have far less theft because only members can get inside so they always know who is inside and can do criminal record checks for member applications. I wouldn't have a problem in supermarkets requiring membership personally.
BonzoBanana Another good option B, why aren't the supermarkets thinking of ideas like this, you would think they want to be robbed blind
JLouM I think that’s a very good idea, Argos has been doing it for years and also Screwfix
They could do this for all the booze as it has separate aisles anyway. You have a person at the front taking the collecting it. The cost of technology and wages must be less than the thefts given the amount of thefts.
It’s crazy that they are getting away with it. Extra security to try and catch them would be a good start
PayItForward Even security will not react to them P , most are told not to approach the thieves and just observe, they are only there as a visual deterrent , and the thieves know this
telmel that’s terrible. may as well not have any security at all then. I’ve seen security at my local Tesco chase thieves lol
PayItForward Yes it depends on the company , but i suspect many security guards on the minimum wage are not going to risk getting assaulted and seriously injured for a bottle of champagne for example
Morrisons have put all their's in locked glass cabinets and you have to push the buzzer for a member of staff to come and get you what you want. Not sure how this works in practice but can see a lot of annoyed and impatient customers particularly in the run up to Christmas
Only way to deal with them and the pick pockets is to deport them, one strike and your out policy
Maybe if the police showed up and dud their jobs and arrested these criminals we'd have a chance to stop them.
In my local Asda this scan and go, has created even more thefts. They go out with trolley fulls now. They had extra security on the doors on Saturday. I think supermarkets need to help themselves though - don’t make it easy by having Scan n Go and self scan!
I think the only way it might be prevented is if we all had id cards and had to scan them before entering the supermarket or store , if not the door would not open
Even scan the card on the way out to open it
The problem is the expense of setting it up and people objecting to it because of the big brother syndrome
Also it could cause a bottleneck in crowded stores
Maybe not such a good idea 
How about scanning the receipt at exit to open the door , and having a goods reading technology to see what items you have on you against the receipt ?
A bit futuristic but doable
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