Three shopliftings in Burg: Police have their hands full!

Three shopliftings in Burg: Police have their hands full!

Last weekend, the police in Burg (Saxony-Anhalt) had to be called out several times because of shoplifting. On a Friday afternoon at 12:55 p.m., two men were caught hiding smartwatches, cosmetics, clothing and e-cigarettes in their clothing in a local supermarket on Zibbeklener Straße. An attentive employee spoke to the two, but instead of understanding, they became aggressive and tried to escape. The police were able to arrest the 34 and 27 year old perpetrators, who were apparently under the influence of alcohol. The following day they were taken to prison, like day24 reported.

But that's not all: the next incident occurred on Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. A 40-year-old tried to steal goods worth around 10 euros, fought off security staff and tried to make off with a stolen e-scooter. When the police arrived, the man was on drugs. Fortunately, he was stopped and is expected to face trial soon.

The ups and downs of shoplifting in Germany

The increase in shoplifting is not an isolated case and casts a shadow on the current situation in retail. According to an analysis by the Federal Criminal Police Office, there were around 426,000 reports of shoplifting in 2023 - the highest number since 2006. Many retailers are forced to invest more than 1.5 billion euros annually in theft prevention. A frightening trend that has continued since the end of the corona pandemic Deutschlandfunk shows.

There are many reasons for the increase: inflation and falling purchasing power are affecting many people, while at the same time professional gangs of thieves are becoming increasingly active. According to a survey by Statista The number of shopliftings rose continuously from 2014 to 2024, which paints a worrying picture.

What retailers can do

Recognizing these challenges, many retailers have tightened their security measures. These include, among other things, surveillance cameras, security labels and increased staffing levels. Nevertheless, when it comes to the consequences of theft, the buck often falls to the dealers. The losses caused by shoplifting not only burden companies, but also the tax authorities, as an estimated 500 million euros in VAT have been lost in recent years.

The penalty range for shoplifting ranges from fines for minor offenses to prison sentences of up to ten years for serious theft. But many retailers are hoping for quicker and more consistent punishment to address the rise in crime.

During these turbulent times, it is important that both police and retailers work closely together to ensure a safe shopping experience.