Shoplifting in my store is so bad I've had to make 50 citizen's arrests myself - it's the only way I can get the police to turn up!
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A have-a-go-hero store owner in one of Britain's under-siege town centres plagued by shoplifters says he has to make citizen's arrests as the only way for police to show. Martin Gaunt, 62, has defied potential violence - including threats of attacks with a broken bottle - to challenge prolific offenders inside his stores in Truro, Cornwall, doing so more than 50 times over the past two years alone.
![[He has installed 12 CCTV cameras at his three stores in Truro, Cornwall, which have captured footage showing some of the reactions when suspected shoplifters are confronted]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/17/93239605-14201077-image-a-3_1734455752568.jpg)
He has now told MailOnline of his despair at a lack of help from police - and poured scorn on official advice today to call 999 if spotting thieves rather than intervening. He described how taking matters in his own hands and blocking shoplifters from leaving appeared the only way he could get any officers to actually pursue offenders.
![[In Devon and Cornwall, the rise in reported shoplifting offences during the year to June 2024 was 37 per cent - higher than the England and Wales average of 28 per cent]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/17/93239603-14201077-image-a-4_1734455821088.jpg)
He has also installed 12 CCTV cameras across the three shops he has in the seaside town centre, with another four planned. Mr Gaunt has raised his concerns about Britain's shoplifting epidemic face to face with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, when she visited during Labour's campaign ahead of last July's general election.
![[Happy Piranha store owner Martin Gaunt has 12 CCTV cameras, with plans to install four more]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/17/93239599-14201077-image-a-5_1734455884295.jpg)
But he fears his direct action can only go so far amid a society which he says now takes breaking the law for granted - and with police ineffective in response. Office of National Statistics figures reveal there were 469,788 incidents of shoplifting in the year to June in England and Wales - a surge of 28 per cent on 2023.
![[Freedom of information requests earlier this year found that the Cleveland Police area had the highest crime rates per 1,000 people, across England and Wales]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/17/91691749-14201077-Freedom_of_information_requests_found_the_Cleveland_Police_area_-a-8_1734456711755.jpg)
