M&S says Auror platform cuts store violence and theft

Marks & Spencer said its use of Auror's retail crime reporting platform has helped reduce violence and aggression in its stores, with nine out of 10 colleagues saying they feel safer as a result.

The figures were discussed during a visit to the Ashton Moss store by Angela Rayner, alongside Marks & Spencer staff, Greater Manchester Police officers and Auror's UK and Ireland law enforcement lead, Paul Fagg.

Retail crime has become a growing concern for major chains across the UK, with businesses reporting higher levels of theft, abuse and repeat offending in stores. In response, companies have increasingly turned to shared reporting systems and closer police links to identify suspects more quickly and build stronger cases.

Auror's system allows retailers to log suspected incidents after they occur and share structured information with police. The approach is intended to help staff connect repeat events, identify prolific offenders and reduce the time police spend gathering reports and evidence manually.

According to Auror, data from UK retailer reporting shows the top 10 per cent of offenders are responsible for almost 70 per cent of retail crime in the UK. Those repeat offenders are also up to four times more likely to be violent.

That concentration of offending is a key reason retailers and police are focusing on intelligence-sharing systems. By linking incidents across locations and between businesses, retailers aim to show that offences which appear isolated are in fact part of a broader pattern.

Paul Fagg, director of law enforcement for the UK and Ireland at Auror, said digital reporting and collaboration between police and retailers had become central to tackling the issue on high streets.

"UK retailers like M&S are doing a fantastic job in coming together with other retailers within the Auror Network to surface the full scale and severity of the retail crime problem we're up against," Fagg said.

"These insights help retailers make informed decisions to keep their people safe, while also identifying the highest-harm, violent and prolific offenders."

Marks & Spencer's store team said the benefits had been felt by both workers and shoppers. The retailer has been working with police, other retailers and Auror as part of a wider effort to prevent offending and improve confidence in stores.

"Working in partnership with the police, other retailers and Auror makes a massive difference to our ability to prevent crime, and knowing that we have the support of this technology helps our colleagues and customers feel safer in stores," said Sarah Hofstetter, store manager at Marks & Spencer.

Auror also pointed to police efficiency gains linked to digital reporting. Fagg said one UK police force had recorded a 10 per cent higher charge rate from Auror reports, along with an average processing time for retail crime reports that was 47 hours faster.

"Auror is a game-changer for retailers and police," Fagg said.

"They can deal with high-volume crime at scale, connect what would previously be considered one-off crime events and use that insight to focus precious resources on the top offenders.

"In fact, one UK police force has reported a 10 per cent higher charge rate through Auror reports, and an average of 47 hours faster to process retail crime reports."

Auror said police and retailers using its platform have also identified organised groups operating across multiple sites. In one example, a group was linked to 80 incidents worth £264,000 at a single retailer. In another, retailers linked a violent offender to more than £120,000 of products stolen across the UK before an arrest was made.

Auror operates in more than 85,000 stores globally and works with more than 3,500 law enforcement agencies across North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.