Two men charged and 16 reported over shoplifting offences in Glasgow city centre

Two men have been charged and a further 16 people have been reported over shoplifting offences in Glasgow city centre.

On Wednesday, officers carried out proactive patrols as part of Safer Business Action Week, looking to tackle retail crime.

Two men, aged 39 and 36, were arrested and charged in connection with shoplifting and will appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court in due course.

A total of 16 people were reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with shoplifting offences, and a further five reported for counterfeit goods offences.

The approximate value of goods recovered was £1,000.

Crime Prevention officers from the Taskforce also visited several retailers across the city to provide retail crime prevention advice.

Inspector Emma Wright Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce said: “This was a successful day of action which demonstrates that retail crime of any kind will not be tolerated and sends a clear message to anyone affected.

“Retail crime is not victimless and its impact should not be ignored. No one should feel unsafe in their workplace, that’s why we are supporting #shopkind, #USDAW and #RetailTrust in their Campaigns to highlight the impact of retail crime on shop workers.

“Initiatives such as Safer Business Action Week allow us to work alongside key partners and collaborate with the retail and business sector on how we can all work together to address the issues most adversely affecting them.

“I commend everyone involved in this work for their collaborative efforts in helping to make Glasgow a safer place to shop.”