Britons willingly spend £1 billion on stolen goods in pubs and bars |
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Tue, 09 May 2006 10:15
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LONDON - Almost 5.6 million Britons willingly buy stolen goods from pubs for an estimated £1 billion, a new survey by Halifax Bank has found. The most popular purchases were DVDs, electrical items and jewellery.
One in eight people surveyed said that they had willingly brought items on the black market spending about £168 on an average. Only 22 percent of those who purchased goods in the unlicensed pubs and bars asked the sellers where the goods came from, while 58 percent admitted that they would not report someone if they believed he/she was selling illegal goods.
"Millions of Britons may be unwittingly fuelling a cycle of theft by making it easy for burglars to resell their products in pubs and bars. People should be aware that this is not a victimless crime, their pursuit of a bargain is part of the reason burglary remains a widespread social problem," said Vicky Emmott, a senior underwriter at Halifax Home Insurance. "It is crucial they report suspicious traders operating in public houses and we would urge the public to only purchase goods from legitimate sources."
The survey found that 116,000 adults spent £2,500 on goods purchased from unlicensed pubs and bars. 17 percent men were likely to purchase goods of dubious origins, while 8 percent of women were likely to do so. Men spent an average of £202 for such items as compared to £95 spent by women.
"Britons know it is illegal to purchase goods from unlicensed traders in bars and public houses. They should be aware they could face criminal prosecution for handling stolen goods," Emmott said.
Reacting to the findings of the survey, Mark Hastings of the British Beer and Pub Association said that licensed premises are usually run by reputable professionals, "However, it is vital licensees are aware that there are criminals about who have no hesitation in using pubs as places to sell stolen goods," he added. "We are calling on our members to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities."
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Shoplifter Britain 