Shop owners have warned shoplifters are avoiding justice due to police not appearing at crime scenes once criminals have fled, the Times reports.

Independent retail companies have urged police and crime commissioners across England and Wales to investigate every report of assault and intimidation.

In an open letter, they explain retailers “often see scenarios where violence against shopworkers is not responded to by the police because incidents do not meet forces’ threat, harm and risk criteria as offenders have left the premises after committing an offence”.

However, they pointed out that most, if not all, retailers would have “CCTV footage available to support police lines of inquiry into violent incidents”.

“Therefore, we would like to see the proactive collection of evidence prioritised by police forces,” the letter continued.

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The open letter has been signed by the British Independent Retail Association, the British Retail Consortium, the Association of Convenience Stores, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Federation of Independent Retailers and Usdaw.

The groups have also called on police forces to prioritise identifying the prolific shoplifters behind the majority of anti-social behaviour and thefts, and make it easier for retail companies to report crimes and evidence.

The news follows shoplifting and organised looting allegations recently hitting record levels, according to the Home Office.

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