A loaded gun in Selfridges
Dark Luxury’s investigation reveals rampant criminality on the London shop floor – including discovery of a loaded gun – with little action taken by management.
For customers, Selfridges is the world’s most glamorous department store, the shop where the idea of “retail therapy” was invented by founder Harry Selfridge. But for the security team that works there, the shopfloor is a place of rampant crime.
Lurking among the designer fashion and perfume-filled aisles of the Oxford Street store are gangsters, organised fraudsters, pickpocket gangs and professional shoplifters who operate largely unhindered, according to several security insiders who spoke to Dark Luxury on condition of anonymity.
They described a running battle between armed street gang members, a loaded gun found in a shoplifter’s handbag, card fraudsters coordinating with pickpockets who roam the store and streets outside, and shoplifters stealing everything from Louis Vuitton sunglasses to Hermès bags.
“I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve worked with many retailers and I’ve never seen it as bad as this”, said one security insider at the store. “Obviously that’s across the board but it’s particularly bad here. You only have to witness it. It’s not being dealt with. It’s hard to watch”.
Selfridges has replied to a request for comment about our story.
They said, “the safety of our customers and team members is our utmost priority. We strictly do not tolerate criminal or illicit behaviour within our stores. We have extensive security measures and procedures in place, including working very closely with the police to prevent and prosecute any offences, and actively support the authorities with their work in the West End and beyond.”