Retailers remain deeply sceptical about the merits of fixed penalty notices for crimes committed in store, despite winning some concessions from government over the way they will be implemented.
Under a new scheme, which comes into force on Monday, police will be able to issue fixed penalty notices of £80 on offenders stealing up to £100 worth of goods or causing up to £300 in criminal damage.
The decision whether to take this route or pursue the matter through the courts will be primarily at the retailer’s discretion. The Home Office has also promised a review to assess the penalty’s effectiveness.
The original proposal would have made fixed penalties mandatory for the theft of goods worth up to £200 and damage of up to £500.
David Southwell, BRC director of communications, said: “The government has listened to the BRC on this occasion. Obviously, if you can steal £200 and only get fined £80, you’ve made a £120 profit - not much of a deterrent, so reducing the threshold to £100 is welcome.
“Likewise, fixed penalty notices are not appropriate for repeat offenders or major incidents. However, if someone has stolen chocolate bars, it might be easier to issue a fine than pursue it through the courts. It’s just another weapon in the retailer’s arsenal.”
However, Francis Chaney, finance director at Spar retailer Lawrence Hunt & Co, said the scheme was a “complete farce”.
“Even if you do go through the courts and a fine is levied, you don’t usually see the money, so I can’t see it being any different for a fixed penalty”.
He added: “Fixed penalty notices will not act as a deterrent. For that you have to have police on the street.”
Under a new scheme, which comes into force on Monday, police will be able to issue fixed penalty notices of £80 on offenders stealing up to £100 worth of goods or causing up to £300 in criminal damage.
The decision whether to take this route or pursue the matter through the courts will be primarily at the retailer’s discretion. The Home Office has also promised a review to assess the penalty’s effectiveness.
The original proposal would have made fixed penalties mandatory for the theft of goods worth up to £200 and damage of up to £500.
David Southwell, BRC director of communications, said: “The government has listened to the BRC on this occasion. Obviously, if you can steal £200 and only get fined £80, you’ve made a £120 profit - not much of a deterrent, so reducing the threshold to £100 is welcome.
“Likewise, fixed penalty notices are not appropriate for repeat offenders or major incidents. However, if someone has stolen chocolate bars, it might be easier to issue a fine than pursue it through the courts. It’s just another weapon in the retailer’s arsenal.”
However, Francis Chaney, finance director at Spar retailer Lawrence Hunt & Co, said the scheme was a “complete farce”.
“Even if you do go through the courts and a fine is levied, you don’t usually see the money, so I can’t see it being any different for a fixed penalty”.
He added: “Fixed penalty notices will not act as a deterrent. For that you have to have police on the street.”
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