An anonymous worker from a Salford Co-op store has detailed the shocking moment when a shoplifter threw steaming coffee over them.
Co-op has reported that they are hit by almost 1,000 incidents of theft every day and with the festive season now in full swing, this isn’t expected to go down any time soon.
“On top of having so much work to do in a day, shoplifting sometimes can be the tip of the iceberg and make my day that much harder,” the worker said.
The source has been working for the brand for nearly three years and has experienced multiple instances where their safety has been at risk.
One incident included having hot coffee thrown over their back.
“I had noticed someone had come in, made a coffee at the Costa express machine, picked up a handful of chocolate bars and walked out.
“Thinking he was long gone, I decided to step out and take a few minutes before I had to get back to work, as I did I saw him outside with the chocolate bars lying on the floor.”
They added: “I decided in the least confrontational way possible to go over to pick up the chocolate bars and take them back into the store.
“As I was walking back to the shop, back turned to him, he picked up the freshly brewed coffee and threw it with force all over me, ruining my work clothes and rebounding onto the storefront (which I had to clean up later).”
They further added that this incident was not unique and that they deal with abuse from shoplifters daily.
“I remember feeling far more than fuming, I’d had enough of shoplifters and their antics.”
Regularly, staff members make phone calls to the police but often they have to attempt to deter shoplifters themselves.
They explained: “We can try to stop them, but in the end with the way everything is set up, with the police doing next to nothing, they will win every time.”
Featured image credit: Pixel Bay (Royalty Free)
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