‘It’s definitely targeted. They know exactly what they want’

Professional gangs are coming down from Dublin with a list of items to shoplift, while one woman went around the store with a de-tagger to remove security tags, according to the area manager of McCauley's Pharmacy.

Noelle Coyne said they are being “plagued” by shoplifters, and although it is a year-round problem, it ramps up from October and at this time of year they have more stock out that is also higher value.

The issue of shoplifting and the cost to retail businesses was highlighted at the recent Oireachtas Enterprise Committee with retail representatives outlining that it had reached pandemic levels.

Speaking to the Meath Chronicle last week, Noelle Coyne told that while some thefts at McCauley's Pharmacy in Navan Town Centre are opportunistic and carried out by locals, others are very much planned and that their proximity to Dublin means gangs are coming down to shoplift to order and know exactly what they want.

“We are mainly hit by the theft of fragrances, electrical goods and branded cosmetics but there is nothing they won't take,” said Noelle.

“Our proximity to Dublin doesn’t help. Professional gangs coming down literally with a shopping list. They have foil bags with them.

“It’s definitely targeted. They know exactly what they want it, as if they have a list of what they’re looking for.”

She told how one woman had a de-tagger on the back of her Marc Jacobs wallet and was going around de-tagging items.

“We are being hit everywhere. Tagged items, non tagged items, whitening toothpaste. There is nothing they won't lift. One guy was caught by Gardaí and he had a Hugo Boss set worth €110 on him.”

Noelle said they have had to physically change the layout of the store to move the fragrances away from the front and have all their premium fragrances behind glass doors. Everything over €20 is tagged and some have spider tags that are very difficult to remove, but it still doesn't stop them.

She outlined how theft comes at a huge cost to their business and while they adjust for items they know about at the time, it is only when they do a stocktake that the full extent of what has been taken is known.

“We lose thousands a year in fragrance alone”, she said.

Incidents are all reported to Gardai but Noelle said some of it is done by minors and they can't do anything. “It’s very frustrating for us and also for the Gardaí. We are reporting incidents weekly if not daily. The Gardai attend and take CCTV and are trying to get prosecutions but a lot of them are underage and there is nothing they can do.”

Noelle believes that they need to be more community gardai on the beat and walking round the shopping centre.

Meanwhile, a representative of Hickey's Pharmacy in Navan Town Centre said they have definitely seen an increase in incidents of shoplifting and that in her more than a decade working with the company, she has never seen it as bad as this year.

“The other day someone stole €750 of High Smile, a teeth whitening product, “ she said, adding that the same woman was also spotted on CCTV cameras in their Drogheda store the same day.

“They are not local, in a lot of cases they are being dropped off. They look around to see what they want and come back an hour later and take it. This year the main thing is fragrance but they will also take everything from fake tan to Gillette sets.

Incidents are reported to Gardai but she said not much happens especially if they are under age.

She feels more of a garda presence would act as a deterrent. “Even if gardai walked through the shopping centre it would help but I haven’t seen a garda walk through in a long time.”