A top security provider has warned against bargain Christmas gifts
A UK security firm has warned of a huge rise in “shoplifting-to-order” attacks in the lead-up to Christmas. “Shoplifting-to-order” is when thieves are given a “shopping list” of the exact items that they should steal from a shop which is then resold as gifts.
Kingdom Security, a provider of security personnel to retailers and shopping centres, has said that a huge proportion of shoplifting now falls under the term. Items such as jewellery, make up and branded goods are easy to conceal, making them more targetable than larger goods.
According to the Office of National Statistics, there were 469,788 recorded incidents of shoplifting in the year to June in England and Wales – an increase of 28% on 2023. Home Office figures show fewer than 20% of recorded shoplifting offences resulted in a charge or summons in the year to March 2024.
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John Nussbaum, director of service retail at Kingdom Security, warned the public to be vigilant if you see anything on resale sites that seem too good to be true. He said: “If you are purchasing items on Facebook Marketplace, Vinted or eBay, be mindful if the product is brand new but sold at a much lower value, and if the seller seems to sell a lot of high value items a similar way.
“These items may have come from ‘shoplifting to order’, and you could unknowingly be taking part in criminal activity. In smaller shops without security, shop keepers may be forced to confront the thief, which poses a danger to themselves and their staff. But it’s important to prioritise your own safety.”
