Britain is the shoplifting capital of Europe, and with over two billion pounds worth of goods being stolen every year more and more Brits are prepared to steal to get what they want. ‘Secrets of the Shoplifters’ takes us to the front line of the battle between the shops and the robbers and reveals the latest tactics employed by both sides.
We follow a group of determined store detectives who refuse to give up the fight and the shoplifters who are equally determined to outwit them. From store detectives who track their quarry on Facebook, to the lifters who use kitchen foil and corn on the cobs sticks to try and disable tags, the programme enters a surreal world of cat and mouse.
As the recession bites the nature of what is being stolen is changing, with clothing thefts being replaced by a dramatic rise in meat theft. And with shoplifters becoming smarter and more presentable in appearance, security staff have to become experts in body language to stay one step ahead. We see the store detectives putting their necks on the line, without handcuffs or stab vests, while they try and detain people – often resulting in confrontations that can easily erupt into violence.