Business owners in Lincoln are concerned that punishments given to shoplifters are too lenient.
LSJ News has spoken to several shop owners in the city who said they did not feel that the sentences handed down to store thieves are sufficient enough to deter re-offenders.
Shop owners believe that banning orders alone just don’t work. Ruddocks of Lincoln told LSJ News that a shoplifter who stole three thousand pounds worth of goods from various shops was sentenced to 4 months but released after only four weeks.
They say they’re worried that such light sentences will mean shoplifters will reoffend.
This was echoed by a shop assistant from Ego in Lincoln. She said that she caught someone trying to shoplift earlier this week and the same thieves keep coming back. She told LSJ one of the main problems is that
“Police take too long to arrive.”
Lincolnshire Police have said they’re tring to combat the problem of shoplifting by having officers patrolling the areas to try deter theft.