Spar worker reveals how shoplifter 'lunged' at him with syringe as he challenged thief

It comes as a Portsmouth-based retail security expert warned smaller stores without security are being targeted by shoplifters in the lockdown.

Some thieves are wearing coronavirus face masks in an effort to avoid detection on CCTV, store staff have warned.

Simon Magorian and Laurence Turner both work at Spar in St James’s Road, Southsea, and were attacked in separate incidents.

Simon, 61, was punched in the face when he challenged a thief who was with around five women wearing masks.

His colleague Laurence was threatened by a man with two hypodermic needles who was caught stealing steak. As reported, police issued a CCTV appeal.

A worker challenged the man, and Laurence confronted the suspect, who had loaded up £40-50 worth of meat, at the front of the door.

‘I stepped in his path, a member of the public decided to join in and help,’ he said.

‘I took the product off him and shoved him outside the store. He decided not to take the opportunity to leave and he drew two sharps out of his right hand pocket.

‘You can clearly see on camera three attempts for him to lunge at me trying to cause damage. He continued to try and take the stockwith his feet.

‘It was a shock - it wasn’t something I’ve seen before since working in retail.’

Tensions are rising during the lockdown as desperate thieves are more prepared to ‘front up’ any challenge rather than slink away embarrassed if caught.

Simon, a well-known figure in the city’s political scene, said: ‘There are lots of people going around in masks for other reasons than health.

‘In the same week someone punched through the screen (at the till) because we wouldn’t sell cigarettes. He said “I’m not having this” and he punched the screen and went out.

‘With a shoplifter you can say “can you put that back” and they’re quite often sheepish but these people just front up.’

Simon challenged a man and the women with him loading up a bag on May 7 at around 5pm. He said: ‘We got the bag off them and they started argie-bargie and I ended up getting smacked in the mouth. This happened very quickly.

‘It was all over in 15 seconds and very unpleasant, and this is what people doing these jobs are finding.’

Chris Caesar, from the Portsmouth Business Crime Reduction Partnership, said in a minority of incidents there had been people coughing at staff and others where shoplifters wearing masks to hide their identities.

Mr Caesar said: ‘A lot of our prolific offenders and people known are being weeded out.

‘It’s made it quite difficult for some people and I think they’re picking off easy targets without security.

‘The lockdown’s limited the opportunity for shoplifters to get out and particularly with people with habits.’

Anyone with information should call police on 101.

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