Sports shop workers are regularly suffering attacks from violent thieves, new data shows. A survey of police forces reveals staff at Britain's two biggest High Street chains, JD Sports and Sports Direct, have fallen victim in hundreds of incidents over the past year. Thieves desperate to steal high-value trainers and sports clothing have punched, bitten, and racially abused staff in their stores.
FOI Request Reveals Over 200 Incidents
A Freedom of Information request uncovered more than 200 violent incidents linked to the two stores last year. These include 144 crimes linked to Sports Direct and 73 linked to JD Sports. The Metropolitan Police recorded the highest total, with 55 incidents across both chains.
However, the figure is likely just the tip of the iceberg, as 16 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales were unable to provide data from their computer logs.
Notable Cases
In one case last year, father-of-two Jordan Lytollis, 31, of St Helens, was jailed for 27 months at Liverpool Crown Court after a sports shop theft spree ended with him threatening staff with a metal bar. He admitted affray, criminal damage, and ten thefts after targeting JD Sports and Footasylum stores across Merseyside and Greater Manchester. He was banned from every JD Sports, Footasylum, and Blacks store in the UK for four years.
In another case, prolific offender Corey Pountney, 34, of Chippenham, was jailed for 28 months at Salisbury Crown Court for assaulting a staff member after being challenged over stolen goods. He was later found with Class A drugs and a demagnetiser. He admitted robbery, possession of drugs, going equipped, and theft offences, and was handed a five-year restraining order against the victim.
Regional Attacks
In Cornwall, shoplifters attacked a staff member, leaving them with a broken nose and two chipped teeth. In Bedfordshire, a worker was allegedly pulled down by the hair during a theft of £800 worth of clothing, causing hair loss and suspected concussion. In Norfolk, police were called when a staff member intervened as a thief put sliders into their bag, only to be punched and bitten, resulting in a cut lip.
Union and Industry Response
Joanne Thomas, Usdaw general secretary, said: “Retail crime is in no way victimless, with two-thirds of attacks on retail staff being triggered by theft or armed robbery. Having to deal with repeated and persistent offences can cause issues beyond the theft itself, like anxiety, fear and physical harm to retail workers. No-one should feel afraid to go to work, but our evidence shows that nearly four in five of our members working in retail are being abused, threatened and assaulted for simply doing their job and serving the community.”
Earlier this year, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said “fear” has become part of the job for too many shop staff. Sports Direct and JD Sports declined to comment.
