CCTV footage shows the moment a shoplifter was spooked by a tannoy message after being caught stealing from a Boots store.
While CCTV is common in nearly every store in the UK, it often doesn't include a tannoy system that will warn shoplifters from stealing as they are doing it.
But Boots are certainly ahead of the game on this one, as they attempt to clamp down on items being nicked from their stores.
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In a clip shown on Channel 4 News on Tuesday (28 February), Boots welcomed a news crew into the company's central CCTV hub in Beeston, Nottingham. Watch it below:
In this fascinating piece, they showcase the live security systems used at Boots branches up and down the country.
Via a live broadcast, potential shoplifters are informed that they are being recorded and are warned of the consequences if they leave the store with the unpaid items.
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The message that was read out at one of Boots' stores across the country was: "Put the items back and leave the store. You have been recorded. The police will be contacted."
The message seemed to work in this one particular Boots, as a teenage boy, wearing a grey hooded tracksuit, was spotted having a look at products on the shelves.
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The lad then pulled out a carrier bag from his pocket and proceeded to take products from the shelves and place them into his bag.
Ryszard Majer, Security Operations Specialist for Boots, explained: "We've issued audio announcements into store to say that you're being watched and that the store is being recorded.
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"He then hears that, takes the products out and puts them back on the shelf, acknowledges the camera to say 'Yeah, you got me' and then leaves the store without incident."
Boots opened its CCTV Monitoring Centre in 2021 in a bid to keep its staff safe in its stores.
The Nottingham-based facility features 18 screens that can display CCTV feeds from all of the 2,200 Boots stores across the UK.
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A team of 20 security specialists are based at the centre and respond to incidents in real time.
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In 2021, Boots CEO Seb James said: "Our new CCTV Monitoring Centre allows us to provide real time care and support to our team members.
"At Boots we have been very active in working with others in the retail industry as well as local authorities and police forces to tackle retail the rise in violence and abuse towards retail workers.
"Our team members have the right to work in a safe and respectful environment."
Callum Jones