Tesco thieves raid tobacco cupboards before waving goodbye to shocked customers

They frantically filled their bags with cigarettes and tobacco from behind the kiosk, as shocked shoppers and helpless staff watched on.

Before departing the north London store, one of the balaclava-donned thieves cheekily waved at a shopper.

Before departing the Colney Hatch store, one of the balaclava-donned thieves waved at a shopper

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In October, a similar pair of masked thieves were filmed boldly stealing from a Tesco store in Reading, Berkshire.

In the disturbing footage, the two thieves are shown reaching behind the till grabbing tobacco and alcohol products.

The employees on duty can be heard pleading with them to “please stop”, but their requests go ignored as the masked individuals continue their brazen theft.

The thieves, dressed head-to-toe in black, managed to leave the Tesco store carrying two bags full of stolen goods, walking away without any fear of confrontation.

A group of thieves raided the tobacco counter behind the tills at Tesco Extra in Colney Hatch

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Shoplifting, along with other petty crimes like phone snatching, has surged across the country over the past decade.

In 2023 alone, over 430,000 cases of shoplifting were recorded across the nation, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is the highest on record and over 33 per cent more than the previous year.

However, the actual figure is thought to be much higher.

Incidents of violence and abuse in shopping centres had risen by 65 per cent from 2021-22 to 2022-23, according to a report by British Retail Consortium.

A recent survey from the trade association also showed that incidents of violence and abuse against staff had risen by 50 per cent.