Robbery, burglary and shoplifting have increased in 2021. This is shown by the annual Crimestat report – the result of a collaboration between the Danish Chamber of Commerce and 30 retail organizations in Denmark.
The report collects a number of data on crimes committed in approximately 4,600 retail stores in Denmark. In 2021, 81 robberies (with threatened force), 207 registered burglaries (outside opening hours) and as many as 10,729 registered cases of shoplifting were registered.
According to the Danish Chamber of Commerce, however, robbery and burglary have only increased by four each from 2020 to 2021, while the number of shoplifting has increased by almost 1,000.
“Shoplifting does not go the same way at all”
Most burglaries took place between 00.00 and 3.00. Stabbing weapons were used in 38 percent of the robberies, while 42 percent did not involve weapons at all.
In general, reports the Danish Chamber of Commerce, the number of robberies and burglaries has been relatively stable over the past few years after an overall declining trend since 2010.
“It is positive that over a number of years we have experienced fewer robberies and fewer burglaries, but unfortunately the shoplifting does not go the same way at all,” says Henrik Sedenmark, chief consultant at Dansk Erhverv.
“It is a development that we are obviously aware of, and we are working with relevant actors, including the police, and looking more closely at how we can best reverse that development.”
Denmark’s “typical shoplifter”
Among the results, the report has given a profile of what the Danish Chamber of Commerce says is Denmark’s “typical shoplifter”.
According to the report, the typical shoplifter in 2021 was a 38-year-old man, and he would most often steal products for personal care from a grocery store or a supermarket on Amager.
The crime would most likely take place on a Thursday between 2pm and 6pm, and the thief would more often than not be apprehended by a shop detective.
“The description of the typical shoplifter is, of course, caricatured,” Sedenmark said. But, he added, it “clearly shows that we have a good picture of who is stealing what and when, which helps retailers target their prevention efforts”.
Source: The Nordic Page
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