Erdington Traders Report Business Destruction Due to Shoplifting and Drug Dealing

Business owners in Erdington describe a Birmingham high street as increasingly “lawless,” attributing the decline of their enterprises to prevalent shoplifting and drug dealing. Retailers informed the BBC that law enforcement agencies were not adequately addressing perpetrators who engaged in overt dealing and product theft during daylight hours. The West Midlands has experienced a significant increase in shoplifting incidents since the pandemic, mirroring trends observed in other major urban areas. West Midlands Police stated their commitment to allocating extra resources to ensure the identification of repeat shoplifting offenders. The police force documented 26,145 shoplifting offenses in the 12 months leading up to June, marking an increase from the 19,184 recorded in the preceding 12-month timeframe. This 36% increase surpasses the 29% average rise observed across England and Wales during the identical period. Usman Akhtar, from Raja Exotics, commented on the situation, stating, “It’s absolutely ridiculous around here, it happens on a daily basis.” He recounted an incident: “About two weeks ago, two big guys came in and they picked up three bottles of oil worth £21 and just walked straight off like it was nothing. When you go to stop them they threaten you, fight you, pull out knives.” Nicola Belle operates a beauty salon located on Erdington High Street in Birmingham. She reported that her employees found it necessary to depart work in groups during the evenings for safety, and she advocated for an increased police presence. She expressed concern, stating, “It’s really knocking our business down, people are scared to come, especially our older customers.” She added, “Enough is enough, we need something done. Just to bring back the customers, bring the town back to life… just look around, where is everybody?” Last week, police officers and community safety teams from Birmingham City Council were present on Erdington High Street and outside St Barnabas church centre to address public concerns. The objective was to engage directly with retailers and shoppers to explore potential solutions and demonstrate responsiveness to their feedback. This initiative precedes a significant new policing operation scheduled for the new year, which will focus on various offenses, including shoplifting and organized crime. Det Supt Jim Munro stated, “Crime is down in Erdington. However, we do need people to understand that these shoplifting offences need to be reported and they will be fully investigated.” He further added, “We will now put dedicated, additional resources into making sure we identify persistent shoplifters and look at civil remedies to make sure that we can rehabilitate and manage their offending.” The BBC interviewed, on condition of anonymity, a manager of a national chain store on the high street regarding the impact of criminal activity on her staff’s mental well-being. She displayed discarded drug paraphernalia found behind the shop and reported that some shoplifters had issued threats to stab her colleagues with a needle if they attempted to intervene. A street warden recounted having recently observed a frequent shoplifter walking openly past a police van, even though the warden had reported an incident involving knife threats by the same individual only two weeks prior. An existing business watch initiative, supported by the police and the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID), is providing a degree of reassurance to local traders. Paul Beresford, from Erdington Pet Centre, commented, “People do respond when they see the police.” He added, “We’re looking to renew our lease early next year, so we are happy to stay and continue trading.” Erdington, home to over 300 shops, has historically been a vibrant shopping area; however, concerns are growing that several businesses are nearing closure, exacerbated by the effects of commercial crime. Det Supt Jim Munro stated, “We’ll be actively policing those streets to return Erdington to a place where people feel it’s a safe place to come.” He concluded, “And for businesses who are working tirelessly, we hope to give them the best trade possible.” Information from BBC Birmingham is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.