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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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