Shoplifting is going up in the UK. In the year leading up to June 2023, there was a 25% increase in shoplifting cases in England and Wales. Shoplifting costs about £953 million in the UK and over $112 billion in the US. This makes it more expensive for shops to run, and they have to charge customers more money. Shops are trying different things to stop shoplifters, like giving money to the police for more surveillance, hiring undercover guards, and giving rewards to police officers.

But for small businesses, these fancy ways of stopping theft can seem like a luxury, especially when times are tough. Tina McKenzie from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says that small businesses often get targeted by criminals, but these crimes aren't always taken seriously. Lots of small business owners don't think that reporting crimes to the police will actually help catch the criminals.

It's really important for small businesses to have a safe and stable environment. The Co-op, a shop in the UK, has done lots of things to stop theft, like having CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and communication headsets. They're also looking into using AI to watch self-service checkouts and spot when people are hiding things. But there isn't one perfect way to stop theft, and it might take a mix of guards and technology to do it.

In the future, AI is going to be a big help in stopping theft. It could watch people using self-service checkouts and spot when they're hiding things, which would mean the police could get there quicker. But it's also important to deal with the reasons why people steal things, like addiction, so that we can have a society where businesses don't have to worry about theft all the time.

Original news source: Shop owners hope that tech can deter thieves (BBC)

– News Summary
Instructions: Students will be given the article to read for a few minutes. Afterward, they will work in small groups to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Each group will then present their summary to the class. This activity will help students with comprehension and summarization skills.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements about the issues presented in the article such as "Small businesses should invest more in security" or "The police should take shoplifting more seriously." Students will walk around the room and poll their classmates on whether they agree or disagree with the statements. Students will then discuss the results and their own opinions, practicing the language of agreement and disagreement.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: After reading the article, students will work in pairs to discuss and write down their predictions about the future of theft prevention, particularly the role of AI as mentioned in the article. They can also think about how the society might change in terms of addressing the root causes of theft. They will then share their predictions with the class and justify their reasoning.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., theft, surveillance, self-service checkouts, AI, etc.). Divide the class into two teams. Members of each team take turns drawing the words on the board without speaking, while their teammates try to guess the word. This activity helps with vocabulary recall and understanding.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide students into small groups and assign each group to list the pros and cons of different theft prevention methods mentioned in the article, such as CCTV, AI technology, hiring undercover guards, and giving rewards to police officers. After they have compiled their lists, groups will present their findings and the class can discuss the most balanced approaches to preventing shoplifting. This encourages critical thinking and persuasive speaking skills.

Shop owners, especially those who run smaller businesses, are facing more and more challenges when it comes to theft. ? Day, who owns a jewellery shop called The Remarkable Goldsmiths in Dartmouth, has had £3,000 worth of stuff stolen in just two ?. Even though she sells expensive things, Day doesn't want to lock her door because she wants her shop to feel welcoming. To try and stop theft, she's bought an alarm system, cameras, and a doorbell camera that records everything. The ? from the doorbell camera helped the police ? a thief who stole a necklace worth £685. Shoplifting is ? up in the UK. In the year leading up to June 2023, there was a 25% increase in shoplifting cases in England and Wales. Shoplifting costs about £953 million in the UK and over $112 billion in the US. This ? it more expensive for shops to run, and they have to charge customers more ?. Shops are trying different things to stop shoplifters, like giving money to the police for more surveillance, hiring undercover guards, and giving rewards to police officers. But for small ?, these fancy ways of stopping theft can seem like a luxury, especially when times are tough. Tina McKenzie from the Federation of ? Businesses (FSB) says that small businesses often get targeted by criminals, but these crimes aren't always taken seriously. Lots of small business ? don't think that reporting crimes to the police will actually help catch the criminals. It's really important for small businesses to have a safe and stable environment. The Co-op, a shop in the UK, has done lots of things to stop theft, like having CCTV ?, panic buttons, and ? headsets. They're also looking into using AI to ? self-service checkouts and spot when people are ? ?. But there isn't one perfect way to stop theft, and it might take a mix of guards and technology to do it. In the future, AI is going to be a big help in ? theft. It could watch people using self-service checkouts and spot when they're hiding things, which would mean the police could get there quicker. But it's also important to deal with the reasons why people steal things, like addiction, so that we can have a society where businesses don't have to worry about theft all the time.

1. What is shoplifting and have you ever seen it happen?
2. How would you feel if you owned a shop and things were stolen from it?
3. Do you like the idea of shops using cameras to watch for thieves? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it's fair for stores to charge more for items because of theft? Why?
5. Have you ever worked in a shop? If so, did you have to deal with shoplifters?
6. What do you think about using AI to prevent theft at self-service checkouts?
7. Do you believe that small crimes like shoplifting are taken seriously by the police in your area?
8. How important do you think it is for a shop to feel welcoming?
9. Would you prefer to shop at a place with lots of security or one with less? Why?
10. What are some reasons you think people might steal from shops?
11. Do you think offering rewards to police officers for catching shoplifters is a good idea?
12. Have you or someone you know ever been falsely accused of shoplifting? How did that make you feel?
13. What is a "panic button" and how do you think it helps in a shop?
14. Do you think it's better to have human guards or technology like cameras for security? Why?
15. Do you think society can ever fully solve the problem of theft? Why or why not?

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