Bakery Store Staff Wear Body Cameras to Stop Pastry Thieves
Staff at British bakery chain Greggs will start wearing body cameras after a reported rise in thefts of pastries.
The bakery chain Greggs has over 2,500 stores in the U.K. — which is more locations than Subway and McDonald’s have in the country.
They sell sausage rolls FFS. pic.twitter.com/QKQUNP24FL
— Ian Collins (@iancollinsuk) March 26, 2024
Greggs, which has become something of a British institution, is best known for its cheap “sausage rolls” which sell for around $1.82 each (£1.45).
However, Greggs will give body cameras to staff at some of its stores in London following a surge of sausage roll thefts and attacks on the bakery chain’s workers.
The wearable cameras can record for 90 minutes and are activated by shop staff if they have to face confrontation or witness a theft.
Greggs employees will need to press the “on” button on the body camera for five seconds for the recording device to power up and start filming.
The bakery chain is trialing the use of the wearable camera in some of its busiest stores in the U.K. capital and a sign outside will warn the cameras will be in use.
“To ensure the safety of our customers and colleagues, we’re trialing body-worn cameras in this shop,” the store sign reads.
“Audio and video will be recorded.”
How Effective Will The Body Cameras Be?
According to U.K. news publication The Sun, a source said that the cameras had been introduced in Greggs to help protect store employees.
“The cameras were introduced as staff were getting worried they could be attacked,” a source tells The Sun.
“Everyone’s noticed there’s more shoplifting. If it was filmed on a bodycam there’s more of a chance they would be put off trying.”
However, another worker told the news outlet that they doubted that the body cameras would be effective in stopping thefts in Greggs stores.
“They don’t really do much because they take five seconds to power up and start recording,” another worker tells The Sun.
“By the time you’ve got it on, the thieves are gone.”
Despite the reported rise in thefts in stores, Greggs posted booming sales in 2023 with revenues up nearly 20% in the last year.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
