Crime is costing some shop owners approximately €250,000 per year and the violence that comes with it is instilling fear in shop workers, two business owners warned.

On Lunchtime Live's Election Town Hall Special, shop owners Shane Gleeson and Paul Gallagher and Newstalk's political correspondent Sean Defoe spoke about the issue of crime.

Topics covered across this election special were cost of living, healthcare, crime and childcare.

Shane Gleeson runs five different Spar shops in Limerick city.

He is experiencing high rates of violent crime, amounting to approximately €250,000 in losses per year.

“There is no effective deterrence for the people who carry out these crimes,” he said.

“They don't go to prison, they get fines in court that they don't pay and they're back robbing us fairly much immediately.”

Mr Gleeson gave an example of the violence his staff are experiencing.

“We had a particular lady that was quite violent,” he said.

“She got six months in prison and within four days she was back out again and robbing us again.

“The same lady did things like put a barrel through the window of Brown Thomas - she's quite a violent lady.”

"Safety issue"

Mr Gleeson said it’s a “safety issue” for his staff.

“Our staff need to feel safe at work, our customers need to feel safe in the streets,” he said.

“We need something done in reality that prevents it.”

Mr Gleeson said the level of crime his shops are experiencing is no “different to anybody else”.

“The vast majority of our money is going out the door, but the same is true right around the whole country,” he said.

“We've invested in CCCTV and the Gardaí work very carefully with us.

“There's a massive issue in that there aren't enough Gardaí available when they come.

“They're very good but there's two cars available for Limerick city.”

"Aggressive lawlessness"

Paul Gallagher runs Sketchers shops around the country and the Asics store now on Henry Street in Dublin that was a big focus after the Dublin riots.

He said Mr Gleeson’s experience “resonates” with him.

“[There is] an increasing amount of aggressive lawlessness among [shoplifters],” he said.

“I mean, staff are getting kicked, pushed, spat at, you know?

“They're actually afraid to come into work now, and it's a kind of shame on the government… the Gardaí, when they do come, will sometimes share their frustrations.

“The government has a justice system that's completely unfit for purpose - it's archaic [and] antiquated.”

Election pledges

Newstalk’s political correspondent Sean Defoe said there is “quite a lot” of talk about crime across the different parties.

He said the two “most eye catching” pledges seen from “the bigger parties” are from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

“A new Department of Domestic Affairs is what Fianna Fáil wants to set up under the remit of the Minister for Justice, sort of like the home office in the UK, but with more of a focus on crime,” Sean said.

“Fine Gael had quite an extensive policy launch on crime that includes the roll out of body cameras to all Gardaí,” he said.

“It includes a new offense for retail crime that will carry an extra penalty of up to an extra year in prison.

“And then the use of facial recognition technology, widespread use for serious crime by Gardaí and in the use of live facial recognition technology in cases of terrorism, national security and missing persons.”

Shop owners agreed that they would like to see the roll out of facial recognition technology.

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Woman shoplifting in a store. Image: Alamy