Limerick supermarket owner says 'petty crime' costs him €80k annually

A NEW episode of RTÉ's Prime Time is set to feature a Limerick supermarket chain owner who is speaking out on the "wave of harassment, vile abuse and shoplifting that has hit Ireland’s shops and supermarkets."

Shane Gleeson, who runs five Spar shops in Limerick city, will discuss his experiences with harassment, physical attacks, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour on the programme entitled Retail Torment airing this Tuesday night. 

In a promo for the programme, Shane tells Prime Time "I've had a bottle of wine broken and been threatened with the broken glass".

"Spitting, kicking, punching, shouting"

Shop workers face growing harassment and vile abuse. Prime Time reports on the surge in anti-social behavior and crime in Ireland's shops and supermarkets.

Prime Time, Tuesday, 9.35 on RTE One and the RTE Player. #rtept pic.twitter.com/jGxHumvjua

— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) March 20, 2023

"I've had guys with needles [in the shop, and] my son was threatened with a knife," he added.

In just one of his five shops scattered across the city and suburbs, Shane estimates that petty crime is costing him between €70,000 and €80,000 per year.

Talking to the current affairs show team, he said, "we've noticed since Covid a very small element of society has gotten far more aggressive, and it is difficult to deal with."

Shane added that routinely, the accused will say, "I will wait for you outside", "We'll get you when you go home", and even, "I will kill you… I'll burn you out". 

A teaser video circulating by Prime Time shows CCTV footage from a one of Shane's stores in Limerick City, which shows a person lunging towards a staff member with fists raised. 

According to a recent RGDATA survey of the owners of 400 convenience shops, forecourt stores and supermarkets found that 95% of them have been victims of crime in last twelve months. The survey found that 93% have been victims of shoplifting and a quarter have been the victims of robberies or burglaries.   

Limerick charity shop re-opens after week’s closure

Also on this Tuesday's programme will be sisters Sheila and Catherine Clarke, who run Clarke’s XL shop in Ballina, County Mayo; Elaine Brennan, an area Manager for Circle K in Dublin; and Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA, which represents over 4,000 independent grocery stores.

Tara Buckley, told the show, "the amount of crime, day in, day out, shoplifting, theft, assault, harassment, racist attacks, sexual harassment…our members are really concerned."

She added, "young staff are being harassed; the racism staff, who are from other countries, have to deal with; spitting, kicking, punching, shouting and making a scene in the store, throwing things at them. It's actually out of control."

Watch Prime Time at 9.35pm this Tuesday on RTÉ One television or catch it on the RTÉ player.