A 58-year-old man was stabbed inside a Boots store on Kilburn High Road in London after he intervened to help security staff stop a suspected shoplifter. The incident occurred on Friday, October 30, and police were called to reports of a stabbing at 10.30am.
The man, described as a have-a-go hero, was taken to hospital by paramedics. A Scotland Yard spokesperson said his injuries were not life-changing.
Police response and investigation
Officers responded to the scene along with the London Ambulance Service. The spokesperson said: "The 58-year-old member of the public is understood to have intervened alongside the store’s security staff to prevent a shoplifter from leaving the pharmacy."
No one has been arrested, and urgent enquiries are continuing to locate the suspect.
Broader context of pharmacy crime
The incident comes after the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlighted that pharmacists are at higher risk of crime because they stock products such as prescription medicines and controlled drugs. An NPA poll of 402 pharmacies across the UK found that 93% of those that reported criminal incidents to the police in the last year felt they had an insufficient response.
The survey also found that in the last year, 89% of pharmacies experienced shoplifting, 11% had burglary attempts to steal prescription medicines, and 21% reported criminal damage. Additionally, 35% reported staff members had been assaulted, and 3% experienced sexual assaults on staff.
Almost one in three (30%) pharmacists said they did not bother reporting incidents to the police, citing concerns about response time, although 70% did make reports. Overall, 98% said they believe crimes in pharmacies have risen throughout their careers.
Policing response to retail crime
Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for retail crime, said: "We are acutely aware of the challenges faced by retail workers, including those in pharmacies, who are subjected to abuse and violence by offenders."
He added: "The policing response has been strengthened significantly across the whole business sector, and the forthcoming offence of assault against a retail worker is expected to provide further protection and help reduce incidents of violence and abuse."
