Shop worker assaults triple as Ipswich MP pushes for action

Key points:

• Shoplifting incidents in Suffolk increased by 36% in the two years to March 2024

• Nearly 1 in 5 shop workers were physically assaulted in the workplace in 2023

• The government will introduce new offences and end the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters

Why it matters: Retail crime not only affects businesses but also puts shop workers at risk of violence and abuse. The new measures aim to provide better protection for retail staff and deter potential offenders.

What's happening: Abbott addressed Home Office ministers in the House of Commons last week, highlighting the surge in retail crime. He invited Dame Diana Johnson MP, the minister responsible for policing, to visit Ipswich and meet with local retail workers.

By the numbers:

• 36% increase in police-recorded shoplifting incidents in Suffolk over two years

• 18% of shop workers were physically assaulted in 2023, up from 5% in 2019 and 8% in 2022

The government's plan:

1. Introduce a standalone offence for attacking a shop worker

2. End the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters

3. Hold the police accountable for their Retail Crime Action Plan

Abbott said: "Record rates of retail crime and shoplifting are a blight on our high streets, including ours in Ipswich, where too often such instances act as a flashpoint for completely unacceptable levels of violence, threats and abuse directed towards retail workers themselves."

The big picture: These commitments follow campaigns from organisations representing retail workers, including USDAW's Freedom from Fear campaign and the Co-operative movement's Stealing with Impunity report.

What's next: The minister responsible for policing will visit Ipswich to meet with local retail staff and hear about their experiences firsthand.