Concern Over Marked Increase In "Tourism Shoplifting" In Clare

Concern has emerged over a marked increase in "tourism shoplifting" in the county. It comes amid a warning from the Concenience Stores and Newsagents Association and the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association that shoplifting is now a "pandemic", with the overall cost of retail crime around 1.6 billion euro a year. Clare-based board member of the CSNA, Flora Crowe has observed that shops are increasingly being targetted by criminals travelling from other counties, with a view to stealing high value goods from stores. The Sixmilebridge business owner says in many cases, these people are sending children into the shop to carry out the crime.