Chocolate Wrapped in "Anti-theft Cases" Appears in Supermarkets
New Type of Theft Rages as Thieves Sweep Chocolate into Backpacks
Some supermarkets in the United Kingdom have started displaying chocolate in plastic cases. It is an extreme measure to prevent thieves from scooping up large quantities of chocolate into bags and stealing them.
On February 24 (local time), the BBC reported that major British supermarket chains such as Sainsbury's have begun putting chocolate in plastic cases. In the photos released by the BBC, individual chocolate products are shown placed inside transparent plastic cases.
These cases are called "Anti-theft Boxes" in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The contents cannot be removed until the shop owner opens the lid of the box using a specific method.
British supermarkets have resorted to anti-theft boxes because of a new type of theft that has recently emerged. British police warned that "criminal gangs are targeting chocolate" and that "there has been an increase in habitual juvenile offenders choosing chocolate as their target."
Why are thieves focusing on chocolate? Premium British chocolate products such as Cadbury are sold at 2.5 pounds per piece. Egg-shaped "Chocolate Creme Eggs" are sold at even higher prices. Considering their weight and size, they are relatively expensive products. Habitual offenders increase their income by entering supermarkets and sweeping chocolate into bags.
In fact, police in the West Midlands of England released CCTV footage showing how habitual offenders are sweeping up chocolate. In a supermarket, thieves grab as much chocolate as they can and then run away. Through such crimes, they earn an average of 250 pounds from a single supermarket.
The British Retail Consortium stated, "According to the annual crime report, there were 5.5 million shoplifting incidents reported across British supermarkets last year alone." A convenience store owner told the BBC, "In the past, there were many thefts targeting items like cheese, razors, and coffee," and added, "Now (the criminals) are targeting chocolate. At the moment, chocolate is enjoying the highest popularity."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
