Police recruit shop workers

Staff at high street stores are to be trained as special constables to combat shoplifters and vandals.

One of Britain's biggest retailers, the Dixons Group - which includes Curries, Dixons, PC World and The Link - will sponsor up to 15 employees to work for the Metropolitan Police.

The pilot scheme, known as Shop Watch, will start in Camden after the recruits complete a three-week course next month.

Staff acting as special constables will wear a uniform similar to police and have the power to make arrests. They will carry out their duties for at least four hours a week.

Retail crime is growing and costs businesses more than £2.25 billion a year, while the number of special constables has fallen since 1997 from 1,800 to 734.