Wave of theft in Hamburg: Food became popular loot!

Wave of theft in Hamburg: Food became popular loot!

The number of shopliftings is constantly increasing in Hamburg. Current reports show that food in shops and supermarkets in particular is often stolen. The Northern Trade Association puts annual losses from theft in food retail at around 54 million euros. Coffee, spirits and meat are particularly often affected by the deli counter, as a store detective explained. In Hamburg's entire retail sector, the loss due to shoplifting is estimated at around 111 million euros, which represents a significant burden on the economy, reports ndr.de.

According to the State Criminal Police Office, the increased cost of living could be a reason for the increase in thefts. Last year, around 20,000 shoplifting cases were reported in Hamburg, representing an increase of almost 5,600 cases compared to the previous year. This is the highest number in the last ten years. To address this challenge, retailers are investing in additional security measures and hiring more staff, which further increases costs. At the same time, a study by the EHI Retail Research Institute sees a nationwide loss of 3.75 billion euros in the value of goods due to theft and estimates an increase of five percent compared to the previous year. This further increases the concerns in retail, such as zeit.de reported.

Statistics show that about two-thirds of losses are due to customers, while the rest are caused by employees or suppliers. EHI expert Frank Horst confirms that, statistically speaking, every German steals goods worth almost 30 euros per year. In addition, the German state loses around 510 million euros annually due to the lack of VAT revenue on the stolen goods. Despite the increase in reported thefts, there has been a decline in simple shoplifting, while more serious crimes are increasing, making the unreported figure of over 98 percent a cause for concern.