High street bakery giant forced to padlock drinks in fridge as cases of shoplifting soar

GREGGS is going to extreme lengths to stop shoplifters — by padlocking the drinks fridge.

Bottles of water and fizzy drinks can only be ordered at the counter following a spate of thefts.

Kevin Dunnett

Greggs have locked their drinks fridges and moved sweet treats behind the till in a bid to deter thieves[/caption]

The fridge at a store in Archway, North London, has a bicycle-style combination padlock around its handles.

The bakery firm has also moved its sweet treats behind the till in a bid to deter thieves.

A member of staff told The Sun on Sunday: “Shoplifting happens every day here.

“The fridge is padlocked because they would just take bottles and sell them round the corner.

“They take anything that’s not nailed down.”

Greggs sources said padlocked fridges is not a policy adopted by all its stores.

CCTV is also in operation in the store.

One customer said: “I have no judgement. If that’s what the shop needs to do to keep their business sustainable and try to stop it, that’s what it needs to do.”

Earlier this month it was found that supermarket chain Iceland was locking clothes detergents in plastic boxes to stop them being nicked.

Home furnishing chain Dunelm also had its duvets and pillowcases in PIN-protected cabinets at its Bournemouth store.

Many supermarkets have resorted to putting security tags on cheese, chocolate and Lurpak butter in some of their stores where thefts are high.

Greggs declined to comment.