 | | | Vanessa Sims | | Lancashire Post Editor |
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reader Today the Lancashire Post has launched a new campaign shining the spotlight on silent crimes in our community. Silent crimes are those crimes in our community that often go under-reported or are seen as too trivial to prioritise by the authorities. In the first of a series of special reports, Lancashire Post reporter Luke Patrick has been investigating the county’s ‘shoplifting epidemic’. He has spoken to dozens of business owners and shop workers about the problems they face on a daily basis. Shop workers have described witnessing the lengths thieves will go to to get the items they want - with one charity shop volunteer describing seeing colleagues threatened with a knife. Others have described seeing brazen shoplifters stealing items to order under their nose. Others have expressed their reticence to challenge shoplifters over fears about how they might react. One shop worker said he challenged a woman trying to steal a haul of £60 of high value items for her to turn around and throw a glass coffee jar at him. Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw recognises shoplifting in the county is at ‘epidemic’ levels. Police say they are tackling the issue by sending in covert officers to catch people in the act. But are the punishments awaiting convicted shoplifters enough of a deterrent? The prisons are full. But if we can’t deter people from stealing, how can we make the situation better? National World, the parent company of the Lancashire Post, is hoping this silent crimes campaign will raise the profile of various low level crimes and give victims a voice. In other parts of the country a frail pensioner walking her dog in a park was targeted by bag snatchers. How do you think we should tackle these persistent and sometimes dangerous offenders? Have you been a victim of a silent crime and thought there was no point in reporting it? I’d love to hear your thoughts at vanessa.sims@lep.co.uk Kind regards Vanessa Sims, Editor Lancashire Post | 
