Tomorrow’s high street? Locked doors and security crackdowns as retailers fight shoplifting surge

Aesop - a sleek skin, hair and body care store in leafy green Hampstead, north London - has announced it is "currently operating with locked doors and limited numbers of customers in store for security reasons”.

Meanwhile, staff at high-street clothing brand Whistles in nearby Islington have a sign on their door which reads: “Please knock, and a team member will let you in shortly. We are operating a locked door policy.”

The moves come after record levels of shoplifting were reported in the UK, with more than 2,000 daily incidents of violence and abuse reported in the year to April 2024, up from 1,300 the year before.

Experts at the British Retail Consortium say the sharp rise can be linked to organised gangs “systematically targeting stores across the country, stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods and rotating around multiple stores”.

London has felt the full force of this crime wave, with high-street shops in the city's leafy green enclaves frequently targeted.

David Clulow, an optician on Hampstead High Street, saw its front door smashed down on two separate occasions in January, as thieves stole 220 pairs of glasses worth nearly £7,000.

A locked door policy was also introduced at independent toy shop Happy Returns, a five minute walk down the road from David Clucow, after a thief stole a giant £275 Jellycat bear on three separate occasions.

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At some O2 stores, a security guard now opens the door for customers in response to a "growing number of thefts".

“This decision has been taken to prioritise the safety of both our employees and our customers, as well as the security of our stock,” O2 explained.

Shoppers have also grown accustomed to seeing security tags and lock boxes on a growing number of items in shops and supermarkets.

Customers at some Sainsbury's stores are required to scan their receipt when they leave, while Tesco has used robot security guards in some shops outside opening hours.

CCTV, security guards or body-worn cameras are also used by numerous retailers to catch criminals.

According to Graham Wynn, the assistant director for consumer, commerce and regulatory affairs at the British Retail Consortium, retail theft reached an all-time high of 20 million incidents last year.

This stealing spree cost retailers £2.2 billion, with businesses also spending a further £1.8 billion a year on anti-crime measures.

Theft is a “major trigger” for violence and abuse against staff, Wynn said.

Chris Brook-Carter, the chief executive of the Retail Trust, added: “Almost half of the retail workers we’ve surveyed told us they currently fear for their safety and nearly two thirds are stressed and anxious going to work due to the unacceptable level of retail crime.

"People are contacting our helpline every day to report horrifying incidents of retail crime, abuse and violence, and many say that they are now at breaking point.

“It’s vital they get the right support from their employers and the police to deal with the terrible impact this is having on their physical and mental health.”

In a bid to crack down on shoplifting and antisocial behaviour this summer, the government announced that hundreds of towns will see an increased police presence.

There are also plans in place to create a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker and remove the perceived immunity to shop theft of low-value goods through the Crime and Policing Bill.