Pioneer Security are currently working in conjunction with Milbro Sports at their annual trade exhibition.

  Retail Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the retail sector, today
  published a new retail crime survey that showed that shoplifting, cash
  robberies and fraud are a major and increasing problem for Irish
  retailers.
  Over half of retailers have experienced increased levels of
  crime in the last two years, with over half a billion Euros (€512 million).
  Retail Ireland called for a more pro-active and collaborative approach
  from Gardai and retailers and said those caught shoplifting should
  bear the full brunt of the law.
  The survey of 33 retail companies, which have over 800 shops and
  employ over 67,500 people around the country, found that in the last
  two years:

•   52% of retailers said that they have experienced an increase in crime in the last
   two years Nearly half of retailers (49%) have experienced theft of cash from their
   premises
•   82% have suffered from shoplifting, with 39% experiencing theft of stock from
   employees
•   Over a third (36%) have experienced refund fraud and almost half (46%) have experienced credit card or cheque fraud  
• Just under one in three (30%) have experienced criminal damage
  
• One in three (33%) intend to increase the level of security tagging on items sold in their stores in the next 12 months.

Commenting on the issue, Retail Ireland Director Stephen Lynam said: "These findings are shocking, but not surprising. Retail crime has been on the rise since the start of the recession. Research shows that retailers' inventory loss caused by crime in Ireland at 1.43% in 2011, the equivalent value in sales of some €512 million.

"While this is significantly lower than countries like the United States (1.59%) and the Czech Republic (1.50%), it remains higher than the United Kingdom (1.37%) and Spain (1.4%). Ireland ranks an embarrassing 11th out of 22 countries in Europe for shop lifting, with employee theft accounting for over a third of the total; the highest rate in Europe.This is a staggeringly high cost, which has to be factored into retailers' pricing decisions."

To help combat the problem, Retail Ireland has made a series of recommendations to Government, including that:

1. The full implementation of An Garda Síochána's Theft from Shops Prevention and Reduction Strategy . The strategy is a proactive, collaborative effort to prevent retail theft by the retail community and the Gardai involving awareness raising, cooperation and specific prevention measures that will, it is hoped, reduce the prevalence of retail crime.
2. Local retail theft fora are set up involving local Gardai and retailers to allow for the sharing of intelligence and best practice in tackling retail theft on the ground.
3. Retailers should fully inform themselves of the strategy’s recommendations and put into practice those for which they have responsibility for, including provisions around appropriate store lay-outs.
4. In cases where shoplifting occurs, the full force of the law is brought to bear and adequate penalties are imposed upon those prosecuted.