M&S calls for crackdown on ‘brazen, organised, aggressive’ retail crime

Bosses write to home secretary and London mayor listing series of incidents staff have faced in past week

Marks & Spencer has called on the government and London's mayor to crack down on retail crime, saying it has become more brazen, more organised and more aggressive", after reporting an increase in shoplifting and violence at its stores.

The M&S chief executive, Stuart Machin, has written to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and its retail director, Thinus Keeve, has written to the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, saying greater resources are needed for police to tackle the crime effectively and target repeat offenders and crime hotspots.