A Sheffield shop owner said he felt sympathy for those who have to resort to stealing, as he thanked customers for their support after several high profile shoplifting incidents.

Two people stole £159.60 of stock from the Bare Alternative on Abbeydale Road on 17 February, racking up a total of £177.60 within the week.

Matthew Reynolds, 38, owner of the zero-waste food shop said it had left staff feeling “very vulnerable and very anxious”.

“As a business owner, it’s been a very difficult situation to deal with. This is now added to my plate on top of all the other responsibilities, which makes running an independent business challenging.”

The thefts hit hard, following declining sales due to poor weather and the disadvantages of being a small business – such as not being able to afford full-time security.

Mr Reynolds said: “I initially was extremely angry about the whole situation, but given more thought about it all, I actually feel sorry that people need to resort to stealing, really they need help to not have to rely on these tactics to live on.”

Last month’s incident follows three others, beginning last October. On 20 February, Mr Reynolds was able to serve the individuals banning notices and, despite legal proceedings since then, he does not see the issue as resolved. 

He expressed concern that the issue was now merely “passed onto another business”, urging for a more systematic solution:

“It’s good to know that action has been taken against the offenders, and while it gives us some peace…  I don’t feel even prison time really helps the community to fix shoplifting problems. 

“The system is failing these people, so it’s systemic change that we need, which is what we also fight for in the main goals of the business.”

Pleas for help have left the Bare Alternative in the eye of the storm across news and social media sites. There has been a surge of support among surrounding small businesses, in an area where shoplifting rates are higher than the national average.

Regarding the story going viral, Mr Reynolds said: “I am truly grateful for all the kind messages we received following the appeal on social media and the information which we’ve been sent. 

“The comments stayed mostly positive and supportive which… reflects the typical customer of the business. I feel, had we been a different business with less links to the community, the comments could have been quite different.”