ICA requires tougher action against mass theft

After Cecilia Stanell confronted what she describes as « two great men », who had stolen meat in her shop several times before, they screamed that she was « stupid in her head ».

Another time she was pushed hard in her chest after the staff took a person who had passed the cash registers with groceries stuffed in the jacket.

An employee has got an elbow in the chest, and others have been threatened to be peeled and urged to « fit very carefully » in connection with the thefts.

– I’m genuinely sad. My employees are entitled to a safe workplace. Finally, you lose confidence in people, says Cecilia Stanell, who runs an ICA store in Västerås.

Several ICA trader alarms about an destroyed situation. Three out of four traders state that the thefts are increasing for the third year in a row and seven out of ten say there are threatening situations in connection with theft, according to a report from ICA.

– There are about 25 percent more thefts this year compared to last year. It is a full -time job – I could have two people who only worked to discover theft, says Cecilia Stanell.

In the Västeråsbutiken, principle has been moved in all meat, even the cheaper paragraph detail right, behind the Delidisk.

Of hundreds of police reports for eight years – between 2 and 20 a week – only one has led to a convict. The rest of the preliminary investigations have been closed down and Cecilia Stanell, like the whole of ICA, wants to see tougher grips and more police resources to fight the quantity offenses.

– I think it is completely unreasonable that you want to raise the limit for small theft to SEK 1,500. On the contrary, it should be reduced to SEK 50 or 100. Thefts must have consequences. Those sitting on Kumla have ever committed little theft, she says.

Another proposal is closer cooperation between the municipality and the traders. Cecilia Stanell points to the dialogue in Västerås as a good example.

Trader told me that The thefts increased during the weekends, and that people who steal regularly said that they lack a place to go. In response to this, the municipality decided to keep daily operations open even on Saturdays and the City Mission expanded its opening hours.

– Then it made a difference. We can share our picture and help, says Cecilia Stanell.

ICA also wants to see a tightening of the Act on Anti -General’s Stores, which was introduced in 2021. According to the trader Cecilia Stanell, the law is currently in practice toothless, since – according to her experience – a conviction is required for a ban to be issued.

– It will be a step 22 when it is not possible to get a convict.

DN has applied for Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer for a comment.