Edinburgh Retailers Express Safety Concerns Amid Violent Shoplifting Incidents

Shop employees in an affluent Edinburgh district report feeling unsafe following assaults by shoplifters. In Morningside, one retail worker was pushed to the ground and choked by a perpetrator within her workplace, while a co-worker sustained a punch to the face. Elsewhere in the vicinity, a shop proprietor faced a knife threat during a store robbery attempt. In response, police have intensified patrols in the locality and distributed a life-sized cardboard cutout depicting a police officer, positioned outside a notable hardware establishment. While business owners have appreciated the heightened police visibility, they caution that reductions in policing resources have effectively “decriminalised” shoplifting. These apprehensions emerge subsequent to reports from retailers on the city’s Royal Mile, who have highlighted smash-and-grab thefts resulting in thousands of pounds’ worth of merchandise being stolen from their premises over recent months. Anne Ness, secretary of the Morningside Traders Association, commented: “There has been an increase [in shoplifting] in the last couple of years but now it’s at the point it’s mad, it’s completely off the scale.” She added: “We feel fearful in the shop now because we don’t know how they are going to react.” Ms. Ness, who operates Houseproud of Morningside, stated that the current situation is the most severe she has encountered in her 40 years in business. She remarked: “We have groups of individuals and their sole purpose is to steal, they will steal anything.” She further observed: “You see them on street corners and in the bus stops comparing who’s got what.” She accepted the police’s offer to position the “cardboard cop” outside her establishment, believing it prompts potential thieves to reconsider. “I think it is a deterrent, people have to look twice to see what it is, so we are pleased to have it,” she stated. Nevertheless, she contended that if “proper prevention” had been implemented, many of the assaults and thefts would have been avoided. She asserted: “Police should be there to prevent crime, not just to react to crime.” Mandy Johnston, a shop manager at Toys Galore, suffered significant bruising and shock following an assault at the store on 3 December. The 60-year-old attempted to obstruct a woman who was trying to exit with an unpaid £40 Lego set. The assailant pushed her to the ground and placed her hands around her throat. Donald Nairn, the owner of the shop, recounted that he was attempting to remove the woman from his colleague when he was struck in the face by a male accomplice. Mr. Nairn commented: “The people who are doing this have realised policing isn’t as effective as it once was.” He clarified: “Not because police aren’t trying to do the best they can – they are all dedicated but they don’t have the resource.” He added: “The priorities of the Scottish government haven’t been policing.” He asserted that community policing had “ceased to exist in any meaningful form” and that shoplifting had, in effect, been “decriminalised.” He concluded: “We are left fighting the fight on our own.” Moby Ali, owner of the Techfixd store, reported that a man attempting to flee with a mobile phone brandished a knife at him. During the November incident, a female passer-by was hospitalized after being knocked down and injured. Mr. Ali further stated: “I am shocked how this could happen in this peaceful community.” He noted: “This has changed me a little bit and I’m now very vigilant with customers.” Authorities confirmed that a 51-year-old man has been charged in relation to the incident. Justice Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged the considerable disruption and harm inflicted by retail crime. She declared: “I condemn any violence against retail workers and would always encourage retailers to report all crimes to Police Scotland.” She indicated that the government’s budget, pending parliamentary approval, would allocate £3 million in 2025-26 to address retail crime. This funding supplements a record £1.62 billion investment for policing next year, representing a £70 million increase from 2024-25. Inspector Scott Casey of Police Scotland confirmed an increase in shoplifting incidents. He stated: “We have been working with retailers and traders’ associations in the south east area of Edinburgh to help deter, prevent and investigate retail crime.” He continued: “We have a real focus on targeting retail crime with dedicated high visibility foot patrols in the area who can also provide retailers with the latest retail crime material and advice and share best practice.” He added: “With regard to incidents in the area, we are following positive lines of enquiry.” Inspector Casey concluded: “We would encourage those employed within the retail sector to come forward and report any criminal activity, with the assurance all reports will be thoroughly investigated.”