How brazen shoplifters are terrorising our high streets

The trend for stealing in bulk is alarming consumers and pushing up prices.

- Victoria Harper

It started with that feeling that something was off.

A slight crackle in the air, worried looks, and people scuttling away. Then a slightly raised voice from a security guard asking - yes, asking - two shoplifters to stop what they were doing.

Well, when I say shoplifters, I’m being kind. This was a robbery. A full daylight robbery that happened just after lunchtime at a small Boots store in the heart of the City. Barely covering their faces, two early twentysomething blokes were calmly clearing the shelves of hundreds of products in the cosmetics aisle. They'd come equipped too: two large H&M bags, which they were happily filling, leaving the shelves entirely empty as everyone watched on, trying to believe their own eyes.

Next to me was a young American. Aghast, she could hardly get her words out. "Wait, what? They are just robbing the store? Are they just taking things? What is happening? Is this really happening?" And yes, it really was - right in front of us, with no one apparently doing one thing about it. This wasn't someone at the self-service till not scanning a few items. This was self-service in its realest sense, as we stood slack-jawed and frozen to the shop floor (I counted at least three sales assistants) watching the men helping themselves to whatever they liked.