Shoplifters are 'scumbags': Retro store owner behind viral sign calls on Starmer to take action
A retro store owner who went viral for displaying a sign which referred to shoplifters as "scumbags" has called on Keir Starmer to have a meeting with him to tackle the issue.
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Last week, Rob Davies put up a note in his shop in Wrexham that read: “Due to scumbags shoplifting, please ask for assistance to open cabinets.”
As a result, officers from North Wales Police attended and told him to take down the sign because it could cause offence or impinge on their rights under GDPR laws.
The Information Commissioner’s Office, (ICO) has said putting up photos of known thieves in a local area, for example shop windows, ‘may not be appropriate’.
Speaking with Tom Swarbrick on Tuesday evening, Mr Davies said: "If you're offended by my sign, then you're obviously intending to steal from me or are stealing from me".
"I appeal to Keir Starmer to come and have a meeting with me or I'll come to you and tell me to my face and advise me how I should think."
He continued: It doesn't even have to be me. It could be a representative of shopkeepers in the UK."
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Mr Davies argued "if you're coming into my shop and you're stealing, you're stealing out of want, out of lust, and you're a scumbag".
He said: "I spent a couple of days trying to word it in this woke world so it wouldn't upset anybody.
"What a failure."
The ICO has said putting up photos of known thieves in a local area, for example shop windows, ‘may not be appropriate’.
In guidance for shopkeepers on how to fight back against the rising levels of shoplifting, the ICO says retailers “must only share personal information that’s proportionate and necessary to achieve your purpose”.
Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK, told The Telegraph: “We should be letting the general public know of the photographs of people who have a track record of stealing in towns.”
Mr Tice added that shopkeepers should be able to put up signs and have the right to say “it’s my shop and I determine who comes into it”.
A spokesperson for the Information Commissioner’s Office said: “We don’t set strict requirements on how organisations should respond to shoplifting, as data protection law recognises that circumstances can vary. Instead, we provide guidance to help organisations use people’s information in a way that is lawful, fair and proportionate.
"Data protection law enables retailers to share images to prevent or detect crime, as long as it's necessary and proportionate in the circumstances. For example, this could include sharing images with the police, shopping centre security teams, or other relevant authorities.
"Retailers will need to consider the relevant privacy implications, such as having a legal reason and appropriate security measures, when considering publishing any images of suspected shoplifters.
"Any retailer that is using or sharing information to prevent or detect crime and isn’t sure how to do this in a compliant way can contact us for advice or find guidance on our website. If businesses have any questions or concerns, we’re here to help.”
