Important news for the retail sector this month as a report by RGDATA highlights an upsurge in retail crime being reported around Ireland by retail stores. In the article by ShelfLife Magazine in association with RGDATA they publicised a Crime Survey which led to a RTE Primetime Special Report on the issue.
This led to further questions being asked in the Dáil in relation to the matter.
Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon had asked the Taoiseach:
“What changes are planned in legislation to protect our local shops and convenience store staff and owners who state they are losing €100s, if not €1,000s, per week as a result of these crimes?”
Also highlighted in the article was RGDATA and CSNA member Sheila Clarke, who runs Clarkes XL petrol station and shop in Ballina, Co Mayo, claimed on Prime Time that the retail sector is currently experiencing “a pandemic of petty crime”.
Raising her concerns in the Dáil, Dillon said:
“The Ballina-based owner said there is not enough repercussions for young offenders involved in retail crime. The issue is that where owners report these offences, the perpetrators are released and, at times within hours they have returned to the scene of the crime to taunt their victims again.”