An angry customer confronted a shoplifter stealing from a Boots branch in an affluent neighbourhood.
The man, smartly dressed in a black shirt, jeans and cap, was seen taking goods off the shelves.
He then shoved them in a rucksack.
One shopper took exception and approached the pilferer.
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She said: “You need to stop.”
The crook said: “Yeah I’m going, innit.”
The shocked woman added: “Well go then.
“You need to stop, you need to stop!.”
A customer filmed the shocking moment on their mobile phone in a nine-second video.
It happened yesterday (24 Jul) at the Boots store in High Road, Woodside Park, near Barnet, northwest London.
Spice Girl, Emma Bunton and comedian, Spike Milligan grew up in the upmarket area where average property prices stand at £649,000.
It comes as figures released on the same day, by the Office for National Statistics, revealed shoplifting is at a 20-year high.
Cops are dealing with 50 offences an hour, as reported on Need To Know.
Local, Jimmy Salt fumed: “Why is this becoming normal now?
“What is wrong with this country?”
Heather Hepplewhite fumed: “This is out of control.”
Calvin McDonald said: “He is lucky that I wasn’t there.
“I understand that this man might be in a predicament.
“But I’d be sternly telling him to put those items back on the shelf one at a time.
“If, he apologised to the staff, then perhaps I’d consider letting him go on his way and told not to return.”
Stewart Murdoch added: “People don’t care, no deterrent.”
Another, named Dan, said: “If this carries on shops are going to basically have to close the door and become click and collect like during lockdown.”
It comes after another branch of Boots in Chingford, east London was targeted by a shoplifter in May.
Boots and the Met Police have been approached for comment.
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