British shopkeepers have be told not to share photos of suspected shoplifters - because it may breach data protection laws.
The UK data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), has said it "may not be appropriate" to put up photos of known local thieves in their shop windows.
On the watchdog's advice page on how to address shoplifting, retailers have been warned that they "must only share personal information that's proportionate and necessary to achieve your purpose".
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The ICO has said it 'may not be appropriate' for shopkeepers to put up photos of known local thieves (file photo)
Last week, a Wrexham shopkeeper was ordered by police to take down a sign that labelled shoplifters as "scumbags" as it may cause offence to the criminals.
Reform's deputy leader, Richard Tice, then said: “We should be letting the general public know of the photographs of people who have a track record of stealing in towns.
“This highlights the complete insanity of GDPR which is damaging to healthcare, it’s damaging to law and order. It’s damaging to businesses and our economy.
Tice added that anyone who backs the ICO's advice “is on the side of the criminals and should be ashamed of themselves”.
RUN RAGGED
|A Wrexham shopkeeper was ordered by police to take down a sign that labelled shoplifters as 'scumbags'
According to statistics published by the Government last month, Britain sees almost three thefts reported every minute.
Earlier this year, the British Retail Consortium revealed that there were over 20 million incidents of shoplifting in the UK in 2024, costing retailers £2.2billion.
Shadow Home Office Minister Katie Lam spoke out on social media after a meeting with a shopkeeper in her constituency who was "plagued by shoplifters" and ordered to remove photos of the thieves from his shop window.
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Richard Tice said anyone who backs the ICO's advice 'is on the side of the criminals'
She said: “He gives police CCTV, card details, licence plates... No action apart from a visit to say he must take down pics of thieves 'because of GDPR'.
"Our system should crush the lawless and protect the law-abiding. It does the opposite."
In 2023, the ICO said: "We want businesses to be able to take action to prevent crime, but we want people who aren’t breaking the law to be able to go about their day without unjustified intrusion."
The actions deemed appropriate by the regulator included information surrounding incidents being passed on to a store manager or other shops in the area and details being sent to the police.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
|'Our system should crush the lawless and protect the law-abiding. It does the opposite,' Katie Lam fumed
Other actions that the watchdog warns "may not be appropriate", includes local businesses sharing images of suspects to one another on messaging platforms or images being put up in staff rooms.
The guidance says: "Sharing images in this way gives access to those who don’t have the appropriate authority to see them or take any action."
GB News has approached the IOC for comment.