Colchester High Street shop worker 'ambushed' by thieves

Old Heath and the Hythe councillor Fay Smalls said the concerning incident took place in Colchester High Street.

She said: “In the last few days there has been another worrying report of a shop worker being physically ambushed while working in a convenience store in the High Street.

“There appears to have been a group working together so that whilst the shop worker was grabbed, others could steal alcohol.”

Scary - a convenience store shop worker in Colchester High Street was 'ambushed' by thieves (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Smalls raised concerns about shoplifting statistics not being produced during a meeting of Colchester Council’s crime and disorder committee last month.

She added: “We heard about security guards being punched, kicked and spat at, and we heard about a female shop worker being knocked to the floor because she had tried to stop a shoplifter.”

Ms Smalls implored the council cabinet to ensure these figures are obtained for future meetings.

Council leader David King said: “We care about this and we will act together on this, and there is a real balance between managing perceptions.

Concerned - Fay Smalls with council colleague Mike Lilley (Image: Lee Scordis)

“Not managing them down but not managing them up either.

“It is not in anybody’s interest to make Colchester seem, in a relative or actual sense, less safe than it is.

“It is also in nobody’s interest not to respond and not to be frank about it. So I would hope we are striking the right kind of balance.

“The only way we are really going to be successful in squeezing crime is by working together, councillors and the community partnership we have.”

Response - leader of Colchester Council David King (Image: Newsquest)

Addressing each other during a meeting of the council cabinet, Ms Smalls said she wants less focus on the perception of crime and more on acknowledging “it is happening” in Colchester.

She added: “I do acknowledge that behind all this shoplifting and all these crimes, the people doing them are [dealing with] addiction, homelessness, poverty.

“None of these things are excuses but I do acknowledge that.”