Thief caught red-handed stealing from Greggs in south London chased down the street by Reform UK Treasury spokesman
Robert Jenrick chases shoplifter through London
A shoplifter claimed staff “always give us drinks” after being caught red-handed. Reform’s Robert Jenrick chased the man from a Greggs in Brixton, south London, after a man snatched a bottle of Dr Pepper from the fast-food chain.
Confronting the shoplifter in the middle of the busy high street, Mr Jenrick said: “You just nicked that, didn’t you? We just watched you take it. Why do you think you are above the law?”
The shoplifter then sensationally responds: “They always give us drinks.” A furious Mr Jenrick hits back: “Why do you think you can just take things when everyone else is paying for them? Why do you think you don’t have to pay for things? You think you can just walk into shops and nick things?”
Robert Jenrick confronts a shoplifter (Image: Robert Jenrick)
The thief then claims: “We ask and they say yes.” And Reform’s economic spokesman blasted: “Everyone loves shoplifting now, don’t they?” This is met with a response of “yeah”.
Mr Jenrick continues: “The effect of what you are doing is everyone else’s food and drink just goes up in price. Do you think people can afford that round here?
“Everyone’s finding life tough at the moment. You’re nicking stuff, it sounds like all the time, and it just makes everyone else’s life more expensive.
“I’ll take this back to the shop then, shall I?”
Shoplifting has fallen by 4% over the past year, with 507,086 offences recorded by forces in England and Wales in 2025-26, down from a record 530,324 in 2024-25.
But the number of offences classed as robbery of businesses has nearly doubled, from 15,546 in 2024-25 to 29,669 in 2025-26.
Reacting to the staggering exchange, Nigel Farage‘s economic spokesman said: “I’m sick of seeing brazen shoplifting and nothing ever happening. In fact, the Government is making it worse by letting prisoners out early.
“The shoplifting epidemic is forcing the cost of the weekly food shop up by £50 for British families. It’s outrageously unfair.
“Reform will come down on shoplifters like a ton of bricks so we can lower food prices and give families some relief.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wants police forces in England and Wales to “take a strong line against shoplifting”.
The Prime Minister said that where police chiefs claim they cannot clamp down on shoplifting, thieves see a “green light” to steal from shops.