Carlisle store boss complains about school kid shoplifting gangs

By Steph Johnson

Last updated 17:09, Friday, 14 November 2008

The manager of one of Carlisle’s biggest stores has complained about gangs of teenagers shoplifting and intimidating customers.

Debenhams has thrown out gangs of kids

Debenhams boss Paul Williams says he has thrown gangs out of the store about a dozen times since half-term.

He says they are stealing and vandalising the store, leaving staff and customers feeling threatened.

The head of Debenhams’ loss prevention team has written to several secondary schools in the city to ask headteachers to make sure pupils behave themselves.

Mr Williams said: “We don’t want a blanket ban, they are our customers and their parents are our customers. We want them to have some respect for the town, the shoppers, the staff and stock.

“If the schools can be aware of this they can do their bit.”

The headteacher of Trinity School has already written to Debenhams to say he will support the store if his pupils are involved in any wrongdoing

But Alan Mottershead does not believe Trinity is the cause of any problems Debenhams may have.

Teachers patrol the city centre at lunchtime and Mr Mottershead regularly checks on pupils by speaking to shop managers and the reports have all been good.

He added: “Yes, some of our students sit down in the covered area at the bottom entrance to Scotch Street but until now nobody has complained to me.”

He said teenagers do often gather in groups, but this does not mean they are causing harm.