Moment shoplifter yells 'Help me! as five burly Tesco staff grab him as he is suspecting of trying to steal steak - before police arrive and do not arrest him
A suspected shoplifter who allegedly tried to steal steak from Tesco yelled 'Help me' as he was thwarted after five brave workers tackled him and called the police - but he was not arrested after staff said they did not want to pursue charges.Video footage shows the man being dragged along one of the supermarket's aisles towards the front of the store by a security guard and four Tesco employees.The incident happened just after 7pm on Wednesday at Tesco, on Empire Way, Wembley - in the shadows of the national football stadium. It comes amid an epidemic of shoplifting dominated by organised crime gangs who are targeting retailers to steal tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods to order. In the video one of the workers, wearing a Tesco fleece, tells onlookers: 'Call the police, call the police!' A man was heard screaming 'Help me' as he was detailed after being suspected of shoplifting at a Tesco in London this week Video footage shows the man being dragged along one of the supermarket's aisles towards the front of the store The incident happened just after 7pm on Wednesday at Tesco, on Empire Way, WembleyThe man can be seen struggling against the workers and attempting to hold onto things in the store to prevent him being dragged along. Read More Unit targeting shoplifters who are working for gangs 'turning the tide' on theft, police chiefs say Food items are seen tumbling to the floor amid the scuffle, which was filmed by fellow shoppers. The man's bag is pulled out of his hands and he is half-carried by the group to the front of the store.He then begins shouting and screaming loudly, apparently in a bid to earn sympathy from onlookers.He claimed 'I've done nothing wrong' and 'Aahh! Help me, help me.'He is then seen attempting to cling to a metal trolley to evade staff, who asked him: 'Why are you fighting? Why are you fighting back?'One witness said: 'I filmed it. The man came and tried to steal steak.'Police arrived but let him go straight after.'One viewer said: 'Well done Tesco.' Another said: 'Deserves it.'The video ends before police officers arrived at the scene.But once they appeared at the store, despite finding the man had stolen items, they let him go swiftly. Police forces across the country have come under fire in recent months for a lack of enforcement against shoplifting. Food items are seen tumbling to the floor amid the scuffle, which was filmed by fellow shoppers Police arrived but the man was not arrested after the stolen items were returned to the storeBut police chiefs have insisted a centralised unit established earlier this year is beginning to 'turn the tide' against prolific shoplifters who steal for organised criminals.Read More Police chief calls for shoplifters to be TAGGED as she slams soft approach on retail crime The team at Operation Opal have identified 152 people involved in organised crime in just the first three months of operation.Among the serial offenders was a Romanian man who arrived in the UK last year and within 12 months stole £60,000 worth of products from Boots. Stephanie Coombes, head of intelligence at Opal added: 'Opal has been carrying out this role for other crime types for a number of years and we have seen significant successes from having a national overview of what's happening in the organised crime world.'MailOnline revealed in July that a joint operation between the police and 15 of the biggest retailers had established that a quarter of all shoplifting in England and Wales is being carried out by criminal gangs.Responding to the incident at Tesco, a Met Police spokesperson said: 'We were called at approximately 7:25pm on Wednesday, 4 September after a man had been detained on suspicion of theft by staff at a shop in Empire Way, Wembley.'Officers attended. The items stolen were returned to the shop and staff confirmed they did not wish to pursue the matter.'The man was not arrested.'
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Moment shoplifter yells 'Help me! as five burly Tesco staff grab him as he is suspecting of trying to steal steak - before police arrive and do not arrest him
