Shop owner claims thefts at highest ever level

Rob Ellis said he and his staff are regularly threatened by with knives and syringes

A Hull city centre shop owner says theft from his business has reached an all time high.

Rob Ellis, 52, who runs Old Town Store, said shoplifting had "gone to the next level".

Mr Ellis said he and his staff had been threatened with knives, syringes and other weapons, with the business losing around £400 a week.

Ch Insp Owen Stafford, from Humberside Police, insisted the force takes shop theft seriously.

Mr Ellis said: "Shoplifters are coming in brazenly just filling their bags, threatening the staff, pulling syringes, pulling knives. It's got a lot worse this year.

"The previous years, we've always had a bit of shoplifting, but not to this degree."

He added: "You approach them and it's pull a knife out, 'go away, I'll stab you'. It's got scary."

Mr Ellis said he felt police were "doing all they can" and he is appealing to Hull City Council to allow him to install security shutters after repeated break-ins.

He said a raid two years ago "cleaned us out".

"They took £10,000 worth of stock, we didn't get it back," he said,

"We just can't afford to keep doing it.

"If they're getting in, they're going to ransack the shop, we're all out of a job, basically."

Mr Ellis said the shop was losing around £400 a week to thefts

Ch Insp Stafford said: "We recognise the impact that shoplifting can have, which should not be underestimated.

"There is the financial loss, which can be destructive for some businesses, but also the impact on staff members.

"We take all reports of shop theft seriously and continue to work closely with businesses across our force area."

Hull City Council said it was planning to meet with Mr Ellis to "explore suitable options for securing the shop going forward".

"To clarify, we have not refused the use of shutters," a spokesperson said

"However, as the building is listed, standard metal shutters are not appropriate. We will therefore work with the business to identify alternative solutions that are both effective and in keeping with the building's heritage."

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