Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The wave of vile abuse, harassment, physical attacks, antisocial behaviour and shoplifting in shops and supermarkets was highlighted on RTÉ "Prime Time" last night. The owners of a business in my constituency of Mayo stated that they are currently going through a pandemic of petty crime, with children as young as primary school age committing these thefts. The Ballina-based owners stated that there are not enough repercussions for young offenders involved in retail crime. When owners report these offences, the perpetrators are released. It is sometimes the case that, within hours, they have returned to the scene of the crime to taunt their victims again. Garda figures show that thefts from shops have increased by 41% in the past 12 months. What legislative changes can be planned to protect the staff and owners of local shops and convenience stores? The owners state that they are losing hundreds, if not thousands, of euro per week as a result of these crimes.

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