North Wales business leader's reaction to making off without payment

The Leader reported earlier this week how Freedom of Information figures obtained from North Wales Police revealed how many offences of making off without payment were reported to the force in Wrexham and Flintshire for 2022 and 2023 (January to May).

According to the data, there was a total of 179 such offences in Flintshire last year - the vast majority of which (133) were committed at petrol stations.

And in Wrexham last year there was a total of 168 making off without payment offences - the majority (123) relating to petrol stations.

The data represented an increase in both counties on the previous year, when there were 98 in Flintshire and 106 in Wrexham - an increase which was predicted by Askar Sheibani, managing director and CEO of Comtek Network Systems and chairman of Deeside Business Forum (DBF) just over a year ago when he commented on the figures for previous years.

He told the Leader this week: "This is a very depressing scenario and I wish my prediction was wrong.

READ MORE: Disappointment as number of people making off without payment increases

"When people are desperate, they move into criminal activities, unfortunately.

"What happens then is that the business community has to spend more money and employ more resources to protect themselves - and in turn their costs will go up.

"That then means they have to increase their prices and that really doesn't help the cost of living - it basically makes the situation even worse.

"The situation is getting pretty desperate in certain communities across the country, which is extremely sad.

"It should not be acceptable to see so much poverty and desperation in our communities.

"We now also have the issue of mortgages being increased because fixed rates are ending, and when people's mortgage rates go drastically high they won't be able to afford it which will mean houses being repossessed.

"Some people are driven to a position where they just want to feed their children, and they just want to live - they are turning to criminal activity out of desperation and that's not good for the police, the public, business; anyone.

READ MORE: The most common places in Wrexham and Flintshire where people leave without paying

"It's going to put more pressure on public services and on the public purse."

On his advice to struggling residents, Mr Sheibani said: "I think people should be speaking to their MPs about the problems they are facing.

"They are representing their communities in parliament and they can raise concerns in parliament."

He also encouraged people to share their stories with members of the media to raise awareness amongst politicians of the day-to-day struggles residents are facing.

Mr Sheibani added: "I urge people to raise their voices - come with your stories to the media. Tell them what you're going through."