Shopkeepers on Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, are at their wits’ end because of a spike in “brazen” thieves stealing booze and groceries.
Three shops, including a charity shop, told the News that shoplifting is going up and police struggle to arrive quickly enough when it happens.
Tee, who works at the Mind charity shop, at the corner of Lordship Lane on Grove Vale, said: “Recently they’re brazen… I had somebody in here last Thursday and he nicked a customer’s handbag while they were shopping.
“While they turned he grabbed it and ran outside down the road and he was tugging the bag with us and a fight almost ensued!
“With the economic downturn, people are desperate now – people who fall into alcohol, drugs and mental health – they fall through the net.”
Every ward should have two police constables and one police community support officer but the News recently reported that Goose Green went weeks with just two officers.
Speaking at the South Area Multi Ward Meeting at Christ Church, Dulwich Village, on Tuesday, September 20, Goose Green Councillor Charlie Smith said police shortages had caused an “epidemic of shoplifting”.
The Labour councillor said: “I remember a few years ago each ward had five officers, a sergeant, a couple of PCs, so on and so on.
“Of course, that’s not the case now. I go to the local neighbourhood meeting and I’m surprised to see that a sergeant’s moved on, or he or she is covering two wards, or there’s another officer that’s disappeared. It’s just not good enough.”
Over the last twelve months, theft and burglary have been the second most commonly recorded crime in Goose Green, surpassed only by anti-social behaviour.
Alex Yildiram, a shopkeeper at Lane Supermarket, Lordship Lane, for six years, said: “The grab and run is more usual than before.
“Kids maybe steal a chocolate bar but that’s nothing… sometimes elders come in with a big bag and try and fill it.”
Gurinder Singh, 39, a shopkeeper at Organic Village Market, Lordship Lane, said: “We have some problems with people stealing fruit and veg from outside. If you see them and say something they put it back. It’s mostly elderly people.”
Asked about the police response, he said: “They don’t have enough officers. If they walked through the streets people would have in their mind that there are police on the street. If they could patrol like that it might be better.”
Not all shopkeepers have had problems. Red Apple corner shop shopkeeper Wayne Potton, 50, said: “There’s hardly any shoplifters. There might be one or two that have a try. I’ve worked here 28 years, I know all our customers.
“We know a lot of the people around here. We’ve been here so long we don’t really get that.”
Last week, the News reported that the wards in the south of the borough, including Goose Green where Lordship Lane is, are now fully staffed with police officers.
Inspector Tom Cornish said: “Local police have been made aware of concerns around shoplifting in the Lordship Lane area.
“Shop staff are urged to call police whenever they witness this happening if they are unable to deter it at the time.
“Even if police officers cannot attend before the thief has left the shop, the notification enables council CCTV to identify and track him/her nearby if a good description has been given.
“There may be a short delay before officers come to the shop itself while officers search the surrounding area for the thief, supported by council CCTV operators.
“Local officers intend to visit the businesses which have been most affected to offer support and advice.”