Glasgow shopkeeper confronts Hogmanay thief caught on CCTV in daring act

Nathalie Fullerton, 42, a mum-of-three, confronted a man trying to steal a four-pack of beer from her One Stop store in Partick, Glasgow. She described feeling a surge of anger as the thief attempted to flee with £9 worth of stolen alcohol. The incident occurred on Hogmanay, and Nathalie tackled the man at the entrance, leading to a scuffle that spilled onto the pavement before he abandoned the items and ran away.

This incident follows a previous encounter where another thief threatened her with a knife while stealing alcohol. Nathalie noted that there has been a rise in retail crime, with a reported 25% increase in shoplifting offenses across Scotland this year. She expressed concern for the safety of shop workers and the impact of theft on small businesses.

“I’ve had the shop for more than six years now. You get an instinct for when someone is being shifty,” Nathalie said. She explained that she had a feeling the man would try to run and decided to intervene. The incident was captured on her CCTV system, showing her grabbing the thief as she was dragged along the pavement.

Nathalie has reported other thefts to the police but felt this incident was not worth pursuing further. She stated, “When it’s your stock it becomes personal. In smaller stores we can hardly afford any shrinkage at all with the rising costs at the moment.” She criticized the police for being stretched thin and unable to respond effectively to such minor thefts.

In November, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation called for more resources for Police Scotland to address the surge in retail crime. Nathalie recalled a previous incident where she was threatened with a knife by a man disguised as Crocodile Dundee while trying to steal a bottle of Buckfast. She chose not to report that incident due to the lack of evidence.

Despite the risks, Nathalie remains determined to protect her business. She recognized the thief on Hogmanay as someone looking for free alcohol and felt compelled to act. Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce has reported over 500 retail offenses and made 65 arrests in its first six months, highlighting the ongoing issue of retail crime in the area.