Every November at Reading's vast Brunel Retail Park, staff at the clothing chain Next would brace themselves for an annual Christmas visitor they nicknamed Aftershave Man. The man, believed to be in his early 30s and carrying a large bag, would confidently stride to the menswear section and help himself to multiple boxes of aftershave.
Tianara Griffiths, 39, who worked at the now-closed Next branch for seven years until 2022, recalls how this became a regular festive occurrence. "We got used to him around Christmas," she says. Sometimes he would arrive with accomplices who created distractions, while on other occasions he operated alone, well aware that staff were instructed not to confront thieves.
The Soaring Statistics of Retail Crime
According to the most recent Office for National Statistics figures, 530,643 shoplifting offences were reported in England and Wales for the year ending March 2025. This represents a staggering 20 percent increase on the previous year and marks the highest figure since records began in 2003.
While inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are significant drivers, retail workers consistently identify another factor that causes theft to surge: the Christmas period. Cliff Lee, director of wellbeing services at the charity Retail Trust, explains: "Christmas is a huge financial pressure for lots of households. Stores are busier. It makes it harder to see what is going on. There's a focus on gift products that look appealing."
The financial impact on the industry is enormous. The British Retail Consortium reports that losses from customer theft reached a record £2.2 billion in 2023/24, with retailers investing £1.8 billion on security measures including CCTV last year.
Frontline Experiences: Staff Under Siege
For retail workers on the frontline, the Christmas period can feel like warfare. "We're hearing every day from colleagues who've been assaulted and abused by shoplifters," says Cliff Lee. "We recently had to support a colleague who was hospitalised and put in an induced coma from an attack."
Tianara Griffiths, a single mother to an 11-year-old son, describes shoplifters ranging from scruffy young people working in groups to opportunistic individuals taking advantage of festive displays. She recalls one particularly brazen incident where a man stole an entire rail of £120 leather jackets from the front of the store.
"When the store was busy, this man got off his bike, grabbed the whole rail of coats, got on his bike and sped away," she says. Despite the coats being security tagged, the thief had disappeared before alarms could respond effectively.
Staff are typically instructed not to confront shoplifters due to safety concerns. Instead, management often advises asking suspected thieves numerous questions to deter them. However, Tianara notes that sometimes theft "happens so quickly you can't do anything."
Violence and Psychological Impact
The threat of violence has become increasingly real for retail staff. Hannah Louise, 28, was working as a junior sales assistant in the Caerphilly branch of Boots during Christmas 2021 when a man wheeled a bicycle into the store and targeted the razor section.
"He yanked the packaging so the whole thing broke," Hannah recalls. When she moved towards the door, the man told her to "f*** off" and lunged at her. "I didn't know if he was going to throw something at me or use his bike. He had such malice with his demeanour. I felt he did not care if he added an assault charge."
Perhaps the most terrifying experience comes from Michael Fowler, former manager at Greens supermarket in Dundee. On December 23, 2023, he confronted a shoplifter who responded by pulling a knife. "He lunged at me. He swung it at my stomach. I stepped back, absolutely petrified, shaking. I feared for my life," Michael remembers.
The psychological impact has been long-lasting. "I still have nightmares. I wake up sweating, in tears. It's with me for life," says Michael, who eventually left his retail position. "Christmas for retail workers is horrible."
The Enforcement Challenge
Despite the scale of the problem, enforcement remains challenging. For goods stolen worth £200 or less, the maximum prison sentence is six months, while theft of higher-value items can attract up to seven years. However, the Metropolitan Police reported that only 5.9 percent of shoplifting incidents led to a charge in the year ending March 2025.
This low prosecution rate may contribute to the brazen behaviour of many shoplifters. Tianara describes finding "empty packaging in fitting rooms, security tags... People change their own shoes, leave them on the hanger and walk out with a new pair of trainers."
According to a Retail Trust survey, 43 percent of shop staff report being abused or attacked every week, while 77 percent have experienced intimidating behaviour in the last year.
Stephanie Michelle, 40, from Conwy, who worked in a bookshop for five years, emphasises that everyone ultimately pays the price for shoplifting. "These shops are starting to disappear from our streets," she says, noting that stores hike prices to compensate for theft losses.
As retailers deploy more security measures, including London's West End planning its largest ever private security operation, the fundamental challenge remains: protecting staff while maintaining viable businesses during the most profitable - and perilous - time of the retail calendar.
