Greggs Will Raise Prices Again Next Week In ‘theft Tax’ After Sun Reporters Again Witness Brazen Raiders Target Stores

GREGGS will raise prices again next week in a move branded a “theft tax” — days after The Sun witnessed ­dozens more “bake and take” raiders target its stores.

The hikes kick in on Thursday and will see some items at the shoplifter-plagued chain, thought to include cookies and doughnuts, go up 5p.

David DysonGreggs will raise prices again next week in a ‘theft tax’ move[/caption] Greggs has been battered by shoplifters up and down the country, pictured a man making a runner with some drinks and treats A hunky shoplifter steals a baguette and potato wedges from Bishopsgate Greggs

Sources said the chain’s sausage rolls will remain at £1.30 and other bakes will also be unaffected.

It comes after the price of products, including sausage rolls and bakes, rose in January following a Budget-linked jump in wage costs.

Greggs blamed the latest increases on supply chain pressures, but it comes as Sun reporters witnessed dozens more thefts — one by a crook in a wheelchair.

The amount of people who steal from the stores costs us thousands a week — so it wouldn’t surprise me if part of the price rises is because of that

A Greggs staff member

The shoplifting menace is costing shops £2.2billion a year and in 2024 the number of offences topped 500,000 for the first time.

One Greggs staff member told The Sun: “The amount of people who steal from the stores costs us thousands a week — so it wouldn’t surprise me if part of the price rises is because of that.

“It’s not the company’s fault, it’s just the way things are now. Plenty of other places have had to put up prices as well.”

We staked out ten Greggs stores, from Newcastle to Brighton, to watch for cases of theft and confirmed the crime is rampant.

In Newcastle, the firm’s home town, a man in a wheelchair rolled in and pinched a loaf of bread and a drink from a cabinet before making off without paying.

In Stockwell, South London, one of Greggs most-hit stores, raiders brazenly ignored an anti-shoplifting tannoy message to nab hot food and sandwiches from fridges.

Minutes later, at about 10.30am, another thief pocketed potato wedges and chicken goujons.

At Bishopsgate in the City of London, thieves struck every hour.

A man carrying a laptop bag swiped a pot of hot porridge at 9.30am then shuffled out unnoticed.

Within 25 minutes, a down-and-out pinched hash browns, a box of doughnuts and two bottles of Coke.

He tucked into his £12.50 haul just 40 yards away across the road.

Barely an hour later, a thief in a beanie hat swiped a packet of sausage rolls, a bottle of Fanta, crisps and a box of doughnuts worth £9.

From behind the tills, a staff member shouted a sarcastic “Bye”.

Not even bothering to look back, he replied: “Yeah, bye.”

After midday, a well-muscled man grabbed a large box of potato wedges and a chicken baguette before strutting out the store.

Our photographer spotted him scoffing the lot at a bus stop.

In Lewisham, South East London, three teenage girls had a two-minute chat outside about how much they should pinch.

After stealing a box of wedges and leaving, one returned to take a £3 bag of cookies.

Later, a woman pinched two chicken flatbreads before sprinting from the store — even though nobody was chasing her.

Another thief shot our reporter a dirty look as he realised he had been seen stealing but still left without paying.

On the South coast, thieves made off with armfuls of sandwiches and snacks from stores.

Our footage showed two men targeting a Brighton branch.

One, in a white baseball cap, lifted two sarnies from a fridge and fled.

Twenty minutes later, a well-known beggar made off with a sandwich and a drink.

In Newcastle, a man in a wheelchair rolled in and pinched a loaf of bread and a drink from a cabinet before making off without paying A brazen thief hastily exits a Greggs with his plunder, London

The sole staff member serving a long line of customers was powerless to act.

In nearby Worthing, two thieves pocketed drinks and wraps.

Customer Amy Collins, 22, a student, said: “You see the same people begging up the road then going to Greggs and taking sandwiches.

“They push you out the way and think they can do whatever they want. I’ve got barely any money and I can pay. Why can’t they?”

Back in the capital, in Archway to the north, a shoplifter sauntered in and stole two boxes of potato wedges with two Heinz mayo dips.

Amazingly, he returned 18 minutes later for another box of wedges, this time with ketchup.

A gobsmacked customer said: “I’ve seen him take a fiver’s worth of chips. It makes you sick.”

Raj Patel, 55, who has worked in Archway for 25 years, said: “The thieving is getting worse, but no one does anything about it. It’s the same people again and again.

“The police don’t do anything. I know their hands are tied for petty stuff — but they’re not even here.”

Graham Wynn, assistant director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retail theft is a major issue for retailers. It costs over £2.2billion a year and acts as a major trigger for violence and abuse against staff.

“Such theft is not a victimless crime — it pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience for everyone.”

Despite the avalanche of offences, only a fifth result in a charge, while more than half of investigations fail to identify a suspect.

Former Met Police DCI David McKelvey, who prosecutes shop thieves on behalf of High Street stores, added: “We’re seeing people steal from Greggs every single day.

“They are being targeted because thieves are able to just walk in and walk out and nothing is done.”

Mr McKelvey, founder of security firm TM Eye, added: “It goes back to this issue of there being no enforcement. The criminals think they can do whatever they like.”

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of retail industry charity the Retail Trust, said: “Shoplifting is distressing for staff.

“It’s driving up the level of verbal and physical assaults and piles extra cost pressures on retailers when they need it least.

“Almost half the retail workers we surveyed said they fear for their safety. Nearly two thirds are anxious going to work due to the unacceptable level of retail crime.”

Greggs, meanwhile, confirmed prices are going up.

A spokesman said: “We have had to make small changes to the prices of some of our products due to rising costs.

“We continue to offer our customers great value, high-quality products across the entire range, maintaining our value-leading position in the food-to-go market.”

• Additional reporting: Sam Creed, Daniel Hammond, Stephen Moyes

A man in a camouflage coat strolls away with his haul in Brighton A thief in Newcastle leaves with drinks