A shopkeeper in Bournemouth has captured footage of children as young as five shoplifting from his store with apparent approval from their parents. Erdogan Yigitoglu, who has operated the corner shop for 19 years, recorded the incidents using CCTV and shared the videos in an effort to deter further thefts.

The recordings show primary school-aged children wearing balaclavas entering the shop and helping themselves to goods valued at up to £120. On multiple occasions, the youngsters were followed by adults waiting outside, who appeared to encourage the behavior. In one instance, Mr. Yigitoglu observed a mother smiling and patting her child on the head after leaving the store with stolen items.

Mr. Yigitoglu expressed his dismay at the situation, citing the toll the repeated thefts have taken on him financially and mentally. He estimated that the losses from shoplifting amount to thousands of pounds annually and questioned the motivations behind parents allowing or training their children to engage in such acts.

Shoplifting offenses in the United Kingdom remain high, with nearly 500,000 incidents recorded in the past year. The persistent challenge has raised concerns among small business owners who are disproportionately affected by these crimes. Mr. Yigitoglu’s footage highlights not only the prevalence of shop theft but also the involvement of very young children, raising broader questions about the social and familial factors contributing to the trend.