A Co-op branch has been placing “dummy” display boxes on its shelves to deter thefts after losing thousands of pounds every week. The shop in The Parade, Istead Rise has resorted to swapping its high-value products for empty boxes after reporting being regularly targeted by criminal gangs “clearing whole shelves of products”. Staff in the quiet village store say they worked with police to come up with the deterrent as a way of saving the shop from losing thousands in profits every week. A spokeswoman said: “We had to remove a lot of high value products from our shelves, and replace them with d…
