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| The scheme was set up in north Staffordshire (PICPOSEDBYMODELS) |
The scheme entitles them to three days’ worth of provisions donated to foodbanks but it has provoked a backlash, with some saying it promotes theft at the expense of honest citizens. “It is ridiculous. It is encouraging people to shoplift,” said Alan Joinson, chairman of East Bentilee Residents’ Association in Staffordshire, where the scheme is operating.
He added: “They will think if they get caught they will get some free food. It will probably put people off donating. I wouldn’t want something I had given to go to a criminal.”
The scheme was set up in north Staffordshire in response to shoplifters’ claims that they had no choice but to turn to crime to feed themselves or their families. After accepting a caution a crook can be given vouchers to use at nine distribution centres in the area.
In the latest case, a penniless unemployed shoplifter was cautioned and handed a voucher as he left the police’s custody centre after admitting stealing food from a Co-op store in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent. He had spent his benefits on vet’s bills for his dog.
He said: “I was given a caution and well and truly learnt my lesson. As I was leaving a sergeant beckoned me and said, ‘We don’t often give these out, but take this please’.
“It was a voucher for a foodbank which I redeemed the next day. Humanity is alive and well. I apologise for my actions and am thankful we have such kind people working in the force.”
Staffordshire Police said seven vouchers have been handed out “to individuals in need” since the scheme was set up in March and were only given to those deemed to be in a critical situation. Referring to the latest case a spokesman said: “The arrested man made an honest and frank disclosure. He handed the stolen food back straight away. A caution was deemed most appropriate.
“The custody sergeant deemed this individual met the strict criteria for a foodbank voucher.”
Last night Sue Simcoe, manager of the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, said: “People deserve to eat. It is a case of a human being in need getting three days of emergency food.”
Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “Police need to be very careful they do not endorse the idea that shoplifting is a legitimate response when people fall on hard times.
“It makes life so hard for people running small businesses with plenty of pressures on their own finances. There is a whole network of benefits and charities to support those who are struggling and people will be more cautious about giving if they think shoplifters are going to the front of the queue for assistance.
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| 250,000 Britons rely on foodbanks |
The Staffordshire revelations come as foodbanks across the country say they are being inundated with requests for food parcels as families struggle to feed their children through the summer holidays when no free school meals are available.
Chris Mould, of the Trussell Trust which runs 345 food banks nationwide, said demand has increased 170 per cent in the past year and his organisation had handed out 350,000 three-day food parcels in the past 12 months, three times higher than in 2010-11.
He said: “The sheer volume of people who are turning to foodbanks because they can’t afford food is a wake-up call to the nation that we cannot ignore the hunger on our doorstep.”
Latest figures show that 250,000 Britons rely on foodbanks and, at the end of last year, Greater Manchester Police revealed that food thefts accounted for a third of all shoplifting offences.
Last December police in London issued children with vouchers so they could get bread after they were caught stealing food from shops because they were not being properly fed at home.
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