Irish Retailers Urged to Fund Addiction Treatment for Shoplifters Amid Rising Theft

Irish retailers are being urged to help fund addiction treatment and support for individuals committing retail theft to sustain drug use. This call comes as a former senior UK police officer, Jason Kew, highlights the “transformative” impact of similar retailer-backed schemes in the UK.

Richard Guiney, CEO of Dublin Town, stated that retailers are open to new approaches, including supporting increased availability of Budival injections, which offer more independence than daily methadone treatment. Retail theft in Ireland is at its highest levels in years, with shoplifting accounting for 44% of all theft offenses. Almost 50% of detected theft, robbery, and deception incidents are linked to reoffenders.

Kew, a former Thames Valley Police Chief Inspector and UK Home Office drugs policy advisor, met with Dublin Town and South Dublin BID representatives. He explained that UK retailers part-fund ‘Business Crime Navigators’ who identify repeat offenders and connect them to treatment services. Some retailers also fund Budival injections for individuals. Kew argues that funding Budival treatment and navigators could be cost-effective for Irish businesses, as prolific offenders, often stealing to fund drug habits, cause thousands of euros in losses.

Piloted in UK cities like Portsmouth and Southampton, Business Crime Navigators have shown positive outcomes. Portsmouth reported that 60% of service users significantly reduced shoplifting and drug misuse after engaging with navigators. Kew believes that introducing Business Crime Navigators in Ireland could offer a different approach to retail crime, complementing existing initiatives like Operation Táirge and the Dublin Taskforce.