By Isle of Wight Observer
A spate of instore thefts has forced Marks and Spencer in Newport to close one of its entrances to customers in an effort to stop losing “thousands of pounds” worth of goods.
Supermarkets across the Island have become easy targets for thieves knowing it is unlikely they will be stopped on their way out.
A Marks and Spencer spokesman confirmed this week that an entrance has been locked, saying: “We can confirm we have closed the store’s side doors on Church Litten; however our main entrance and exit remains open for customers.” The spokesman refused to reply to our repeated requests asking if this was to do with the shoplifting.
However, we have been contacted by several regular customers, including a staff member, confirming they had all been told it was due to repeated shoplifting.
One said: “I asked what the problem was and was told that the store was losing thousands of pounds because people were walking out without paying.”
The problem highlights a trend throughout the country, with the Marks and Spencer store, in Clapham, was ransacked this week by a flash-mob who invaded the premises.
A police spokesman was unable to provide supermarket theft figures on the Island, saying instead that we should make a Freedom of Information request, which can take weeks to be answered.
Rufus Pickles - Local Democracy Reporter