THERE have been calls for violent shoplifters to face stronger punishment after the manager of a Bournemouth supermarket was allegedly bitten, kicked and spat on.

Kevin Strudwick, of Bournemouth Businesses Reducing Crime (BBRC), said there wasn’t enough of a deterrent for thieves after a team leader at Sainsbury’s in Winton was reportedly attacked by a man and a woman.

At least five police cars were called to the supermarket on Thursday after the incident.

Mr Strudwick said: “The problem is that, with shoplifters, there is no deterrent.

“The retail sector is budgeted to the quick. We’ve lost a lot of security staff. There isn’t the same number of sales staff on the shop floor.

“It’s all running on a shoestring.

“It’s all wide open to abuse from people who want to do it.”

Thieves who are well-known to traders are rarely effectively dealt with, he said.

“Prolific shoplifters are out there every single day, and they’re free to keep stealing,” he said.

“You’re getting staff who are assaulted and spat at.”

In December last year, Mr Strudwick told the Daily Echo Bournemouth shops were “paying the price” for the town’s nightlife, and argued that shop staff faced crime during the day as officers are often tasked during the weekends.

He said this week: “The night-time economy should be contributing more towards policing. There are bars and clubs out there selling alcohol to people who had clearly had too much already.

“I believe these places should be contributing financially to the police.

“The daytime economy is all too often swallowed up by the night-time economy and that’s a big problem.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said a 35-year-old woman has been charged with assault, theft and a public order offence and a 50-year-old man has been charged with harassment and public order offences.