DON'T PUT HIGH VALUE GOODS AT FRONT OF STORES

Labour's policing minister provokes ridicule after telling the nation's shopkeepers...

- By Michael Knowles

ADVICE not to put expensive items near shop doors to deter thieves was last night branded a "disgrace".

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson was roundly criticised and ridiculed after addressing the soaring scourge of shoplifting by saying: “Stores need to play their part in making sure items that are high value are not at the front.”

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick slammed the advice and said: “It’s a disgrace. These individuals are ruining high streets across the country and getting away with it.”

It comes as industry bosses warned of gangs “marauding” through shops, sweeping items off shelves and attacking staff with “needles, knives, hammers, you name it”.

Iceland executive chairman Richard Walker believes criminals are acting with “impunity”.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Government’s line was “staggering”, blasting: “Shoplifting is up 20% under Labour, with more than half a million offences in the last year alone. But instead of putting more bobbies on the beat and cracking down on offenders, they have axed 1,300 officers and left our high streets wide open to criminal gangs. Britain is less safe because Keir Starmer has gutted police budgets, dismantled our borders and let offenders walk free.”

Mr Jenrick added: “Instead of making the public’s life inconvenient, why doesn’t Starmer start making it miserable for shoplifters?

“Labour thinks the public have to just put up with lawless Britain and adapt to it.