Retired Police Chief Inspector Condemns Dorset Force Over Shoplifting Incident
A former police chief inspector has described his old force's handling of shoplifting as 'beyond a joke' after a member of the public was compelled to confront a brazen thief directly. Chris Amey, who retired from Dorset Police in 2022 following three decades of service, has publicly criticised the force after an incident in Bournemouth where police failed to attend a reported theft.
Citizen Takes Action as Police Declare No Officers Available
The situation unfolded when an individual, who wishes to remain anonymous, dialled 999 to report an ongoing theft at an Asda supermarket. The call handler informed the caller that no officers were available to dispatch to the scene. Undeterred, the citizen recorded footage of a man and a woman casually leaving the store with stolen goods. He then pursued the couple and challenged them, with video evidence capturing him instructing the male thief to 'Just drop it and I'll take it back.'
At one point, the citizen threatened to contact the police, to which the shoplifter retorted, 'Good, call them.' Ultimately, the have-a-go-hero succeeded in making the pair abandon the stolen items, which he subsequently returned to the supermarket. Mr Amey asserted that this episode demonstrates shoplifters no longer fear the police, attributing this to officers increasingly departing the force due to perceived lack of support.
Claims of Underreporting and Misleading Statistics
Mr Amey argued that official crime figures are deceptive, stating, 'It is getting beyond a joke because shoplifting is going on everywhere and they are acting as if nothing is happening. They are saying crime and anti-social behaviour is down but that is because nobody bothers to report it anymore.' This criticism comes despite David Sidwick, the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, recently boasting that the county is safer than ever, with crime rates declining. Sidwick highlighted the force's over 70 per cent outcome rate for shoplifting offences, surpassing the national average, and noted the deployment of 11 new officers to Bournemouth town centre, a known hotspot for such crimes.
However, Mr Amey dismissed these claims as 'smoke and mirrors,' insisting that if rates appear reduced, it is solely because the public has ceased reporting incidents. 'When the PCC talks about 11 new recruits to Bournemouth town centre, it is smoke and mirrors,' he remarked. 'Crime and anti-social behaviour is not down, reported crime and anti-social behaviour is because people cannot be bothered to report it anymore. You just need to look on social media to know what's going on.'
Broader Concerns Over Police Resources and Morale
Reflecting on the Bournemouth incident, Mr Amey added, 'I get why people don't bother reporting crime when you look at cases like this one. Members of the public are in the shop buying things and these two, brazen as anything, help themselves and the staff don't challenge them. When this man made the call to the police they said they didn't have anybody available.' He expressed worries about the absence of a deterrent effect and the potential risks to citizens who intervene, questioning, 'If he had tried to make a citizen's arrest who was going to come to his aid if they had started having a go at him back? There's no deterrent and no fear of the police any more.'
Mr Amey contrasted current practices with those of a decade ago, noting that such calls would have been prioritised historically. 'That is a call I would have gone to 100 per cent back in the day, by which I mean about 10 years ago,' he stated. Latest statistics reveal that shoplifting offences in England and Wales increased by 5 per cent in the year to September 2025, reaching 519,381 cases. Mr Amey believes Dorset's issue stems from dwindling officer numbers, citing a high attrition rate and departures linked to officers feeling unsupported.
Allegations of Misconduct Policies and Force Response
The retired inspector referenced the case of former officer Lorne Castle, dismissed for using aggressive force during an arrest, alleging an unusually high number of misconduct hearings aimed at removing experienced personnel cost-effectively. 'Everybody is leaving because of welfare issues, not feeling supported and elongated misconduct investigations against colleagues,' he claimed. 'The reason we are seeing more misconduct cases is that there is a clear plan to get rid of experienced officers because they cost too much money. Matters that need a word of advice are going before disciplinary panels.'
In response, Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick maintained that Dorset Police investigates all reports of shoplifting. 'Tackling shoplifting is a clear priority for Dorset Police and my office,' he said. 'Together, we work tirelessly with the business community in Dorset to ensure prolific offenders are brought to justice through dedicated initiatives like Op Shopkeeper, and by making reporting easier as demonstrated by the introduction of a new digital reporting system.' He emphasised that the much-discussed £200 threshold for prosecution does not apply in Dorset and urged the public to use online portals for non-urgent reports to aid investigations.
A Dorset Police spokesperson addressed the Asda incident, explaining, 'We received a report from a third party in relation a suspected shoplifting from the Asda store. It was reported that the offenders involved had left the scene. Following an assessment of the threat, risk, harm, vulnerability and availability of resources – with local officers committed on enquiries relating to a high risk missing person and other priority incidents – no officers were deployed to the scene.' The force later became aware of social media footage and is pursuing these lines of enquiry.
