Councillor Confronts Alleged Shoplifters on the High Road

Ron Mushiso says he wants to drive persistent offenders out of town

Cllr Mushiso with the two items he recovered for Boots

Cllr Ron Mushiso has urged shopkeepers and residents to report every theft after intervening in another shoplifting incident, this time on Chiswick High Road.

The councillor, who represents Chiswick Gunnersbury, had been spending this Sunday (22 February) visiting shops along the High Road to speak with owners and staff about the importance of consistent reporting and closer cooperation with the police.

He told shopkeepers that a retailer-led “Shop Watch” scheme, modelled on neighbourhood watch, would help businesses share information, report incidents consistently and support officers in identifying repeat offenders. He said that what makes the biggest difference is not individual action but “consistent reporting, shared vigilance between the shops and the police.”

Towards the end of trading hours, Cllr Mushiso witnessed goods being taken from the Boots store on the High Road. He followed the two men he believed had taken the items as they walked up Bleak House Lane and into Barley Mow Passage, capturing the exchange on his phone’s camera.

The men, one of whom was wearing a bright green anorak, the other a German parka, walked quickly away from him as they made their way into Barley Mow Passage and then back towards Heathfield Terrace with Cllr Mushiso encouraging them to give back the items he believed they had taken.

As they quickened their pace, they dropped two items, which the councillor took back to the store, ironically setting off the alarm as he brought them in. The store manager was already filing a report. He told Cllr Mushiso that the men he had seen were repeat offenders who came to the store three or four times a week. Cllr Mushiso said, “I’m going to file my report as well to make sure that these guys are driven out of Chiswick once and for all.”

However, when Boots reported the crime to the police they received a response saying, “Your case has been reviewed by the Crime Recording and Investigation Bureau (CRIB), who are responsible for determining whether a case is sent for further investigation. Unfortunately, under our Crime Assessment Policy there are no reasonable lines of enquiry we can follow. The investigation team has therefore made the decision to close the case.” The response did say that the report could be used as evidence in later investigations.

Cllr Mushiso described the episode as a reminder of the scale of shoplifting and the real impact it has on local businesses, shoppers and staff, and used the incident to reinforce his call for people to report crimes promptly so police can build cases against persistent offenders.

Last month Cllr Mushiso confronted a man who he believed had taken food items from a store a petrol station in Hounslow.

The councillor’s intervention comes as local police and business groups say shoplifting in Chiswick has eased compared with the peak of concern two to three years ago. The latest data points to a continuing reduction in offences following targeted operations and closer engagement with retailers.

That improvement follows a period of heightened alarm in 2023, when many traders on the High Road reported a sharp rise in thefts and some shops adopted measures such as locking doors or restricting access during busy periods. The surge prompted a series of meetings between councillors, police and traders to agree local priorities and responses.

The councillor has previously campaigned on retail crime, backing local initiatives to deter repeat offenders and pressing for stronger information-sharing between shops and the police. He told residents that law enforcement is working hard to tackle shoplifting but relies on reports, evidence and cooperation from shop owners to target those who repeatedly offend. He encouraged anyone who witnesses theft or suspicious behaviour to report it to police and to record details such as descriptions, times and, where safe and lawful, images or vehicle registrations.