Northampton shop warns thieves 'you will get caught' as it reports rise in shoplifting attempts
"We might have Morrisons above the door but we are actually a small independent business operating a franchise. As such we go to far greater lengths to keep our store and staff safe."
A Northampton convenience store has issued a stark warning to shoplifters after reporting an increase in thefts, revealing how sophisticated technology is helping staff catch offenders before they leave the premises.
Morrisons Daily Whitehills has urged people not to steal from the shop, warning that suspicious behaviour is being monitored by specialist software linked to its CCTV cameras.
Despite carrying the Morrisons name, the store is independently operated under a franchise arrangement, with its owners stressing the importance of protecting their business and staff.
In a strongly worded Facebook post headed "DO NOT STEAL FROM US!", the store explained how it has been using technology to identify potential shoplifting incidents for the past three years.
The software monitors CCTV footage and automatically alerts staff to suspicious activity, providing short video clips which can then be reviewed.
Staff assess each alert individually to establish whether a theft has actually occurred, with the business emphasising that most alerts turn out to be innocent.
However, when genuine incidents are identified, employees say they can often intervene before the person responsible leaves the premises.
The store said: "We might have Morrisons above the door but we are actually a small independent business operating a franchise. As such we go to far greater lengths to keep our store and staff safe."
It added: "Most of the time it is nothing and we treat it as such, but when we do see real thefts occurring we are usually able to intercept the thief before they leave the store."
The business believes its approach has helped deter potential offenders and reduce shoplifting compared with other shops in Northampton.
However, it says the number of people attempting to take goods without paying has recently been increasing.
The store added: "Recently we have been seeing people helping themselves to items from our shelves more and more, and they usually do not think they will be caught."
The warning comes as the business seeks to maintain a welcoming environment for customers while ensuring employees feel safe at work.
It concluded: "We want to keep our store as a nice place to shop for our customers and a safe place for our staff to work.
"Please do not steal from our store, as you will likely get caught out."