'Even my pick and mix shop is getting robbed'

The owner of a pick and mix shop in East Sussex has said she moved premises because staff felt "very unsafe" due to ongoing thefts.

Alison Nicholls, who owns the Rainbows Sweet Shop in Hastings, said "even kids" were stealing after seeing videos of people 'taking whatever they want" from shops.

She added that people would still come to the new location for a "bit of five-finger discount", though staff were much happier there.

"We give good customer service [and] welcome everybody, Nicholls told the BBC.

"It's really upsetting and offends me [that people steal from us].

"They seem to think they're not doing anybody any harm."

Nicholls said her "old school" pick and mix shop – which has been open for some 20 years – was doing "really well".

However, she added that it "would not take an awful lot" to harm the store as profit margins were low.

"We can't even help ourselves... because we would soon be out of business."

Nicholls said she had very good CCTV and that staff engaged with potential shoplifters as soon as they could.

However, she added that "the minute your back's turned, someone will try and have a go".

Katy Bourne, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, said people often associated the problem with big stores and cities, but it also affected smaller town high streets.

"It happens to everybody and has a huge impact," she said.

With high streets facing the challenge of online shopping, she said shoplifting needed to be tackled so people could feel "safe and confident to shop".

Bourne said a "first of its kind" pilot scheme by Sussex Police, which sees persistent shoplifters tagged and banned from certain areas, had reduced reoffending by 60%.

The scheme also allowed officers to get help for people that steal because of drug and alcohol addiction to "break the cycle", she added.

"We know about 20% of people cause 80% of shoplifting crime... so if you can tackle persistent offenders, you can cut that crime quite dramatically," she said.

Bourne urged retailers to report offences as this would help police know where to put their resources.

"They're very, very keen to stop these prolific offenders," she added.

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