The case in summary Several shops and shopping centers in Southern Norway are reporting more snacking from shop shelves. They are now tightening security and introducing measures in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There has been a change in what people shoplift. There are now more basic goods such as butter and milk, instead of chocolate and beer. Center manager at two of the shopping centers in Kristiansand, Christina Omland, tells of an increase in the number of thefts and pickpocketing from the shops, and particularly sees an increase among young girls. Security guard Bjørn Sture Aas in KRG security says there are people from all walks of life and children as young as 12-13 years of age who are caught in the act. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – There has been a change in what people steal from the shop. Before, it was mostly chocolate, energy drinks, soft drinks and beer. Now there are basic goods such as milk, butter and sauerkraut – essentially the whole range of goods. That’s what store manager Ståle Molaug says at the Kiwi store at Amfi Vågsbygd in Kristiansand. Several shops and shopping centers in Sørlandet report more snacking from shop shelves. They are now tightening security and introducing measures in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Both weightier Bjørn Sture Aas and store manager Ståle Molaug say that they are taking more and more people for nibbling on the store shelves. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news – Still not good to steal The Kiwi boss says he understands the pressured situation many are in as a result of tougher economic times. But even if people are having a hard time, he cannot see through his fingers that people are not paying for him. – I run a business and have employees. It’s still not good to steal, says Molaug. According to the police in Agder, more people are being reported now. And the statistics from Statistics Norway show that the number of reported thefts from shops in Norway has risen sharply since 2015. Following those who steal, Vekter Bjørn Sture Aas in the KRG security guard, says that there are people from all walks of life and children as young as 12, 13 years old who taken for snacking. His working day consists, among other things, of walking around the store and observing. – If I see someone stuffing something into a pocket or a bag, I follow and take them after the last payment point in the store. He points out that it’s never nice to catch a shoplifter red-handed. Security adviser Bjørn Sture Aas believes that more people steal because they have less money than before. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news – More people who don’t care that they are caught Aas says more and more people are being caught, and at the same time more people who don’t care that they are caught. – It seems as if people have lost a little respect for other people’s property and that the shame has disappeared a little. He says there is much more to do and many more to take. – There are several people who steal soup bags from Toro. I think it is connected to the fact that it has become more expensive to live, says Aas. – Disturbing development Christina Omland is center manager at the two shopping centers Amfi Vågsbygd and Sandens in Kristiansand. She also tells of an increase in the number of thefts and shoplifting. She finds that disturbing. – Nobody wants it to go that way. It is therefore particularly important to work on prevention, but also to understand the reason why it happens. Omland says that mostly small items are stolen that are easy to put in your pocket and take out with you. She says there is a group that stands out. – We especially see an increase among young girls. It is difficult for us to know what the reason is, but we do hear about increased pressure among young people today. – Good service is preventive Omland agrees that tougher economic times can also be a contributing factor to the increase in nagging. – And I think it will be something we will experience to a greater extent in the future, she says. As a centre, they want to get better at prevention, says Omland. – Those who work in the shops must get better at picking up signals. Good service is also preventive. Seeing those who enter the shop and greeting them with a “hello” helps prevent theft. Christina Omland, center manager at Sandens and Amfi Vågsbygd in Kristiansand, says there are several young girls who are caught for nagging at the centres. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Reports all thefts Store manager Ståle Molaug says their routine is to report all thefts. – But we see more and more often that the police drop the cases that we report. He says they also have big losses in connection with all the thefts that go undetected. If children under 18 are caught, the case ends up in the conflict council. – We have seen a large increase in that this autumn. At times I have been to the conflict council three times a week, says Molaug. Store manager Ståle Molaug at Kiwi in Amfi Vågsbygd says several people steal everyday goods such as butter and milk. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news – Deploying extra guards In other southern towns they are also noticing an increase in thefts. At Alti Flekkefjord, there has been a noticeable increase in the last six months, writes Lister 24. At Alti Lyngdal, center manager Tor Andreas Hestås is prepared for demanding times. – We are putting in some extra security. Everything is in place for the problem of theft to increase somewhat. We have economic downturns with interest rates and price increases – at the same time that technology in the retail trade, among other things, means fewer employees, says Hestås.
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– People steal milk and butter – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
