Birmingham security firm reports ‘marked increase’ in demand after city’s shoplifting surge

New police data has shown a significant 73% surge in shoplifting crimes across Central Birmingham over the past year. There were 959 offences and, commenting on the situation, Birmingham-based security firm 3000 Security Services indicated that it had seen a ‘marked increase’ in requests for its services in 2023.

Darrell Coghlan, director of 3000 Security Services, added: “The spike in retail theft is a major concern for our community. In response, we have seen a marked increase in requests for our skilled retail security personnel. Our team is dedicated to providing effective, on-the-ground support to protect local businesses and maintain a safe shopping environment.”

However, the firm also recommends that the police data be considered after it has been broken down to ‘gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation’. For example, areas that have major shopping centres naturally see higher footfall and visitors, which in turn attracts opportunistic thieves.

“Hodge Hill stands out as the most heavily affected by shoplifting, with 187 crimes reported last year. This translates to approximately 74.8 shoplifting offences for every 10 shops – the highest rate in Birmingham. Selly Oak follows closely with 61.1 crimes per 10 shop. In contrast, Birmingham Central, with its numerous shops, recorded a comparatively lower rate of 30.9 crimes per 10 shops.”

British Retail Consortium (BRC) said national retail thefts cost businesses nearly £1billion in 2021/22. It added that shoplifting incidents surged by 22 per cent.