RETAILERS are calling on the government to make retail crime a higher priority after new figures showed a 50% increase in recorded violence against shop staff.

The figures, compiled by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), also show that recorded threats of violence against shop staff across the country have more than doubled.

Verbal abuse reports by shop staff were up by 6%.

The BRC and the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) presented the findings to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith at their shop crime fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.

They want her to push local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, which already bring together police and local authorities into a unified body.

Amid the rising complaints, they want the crimes alleged byretailers and shop workers to be given the same level of attention directed towards crime and anti-social behaviour in residential neighbourhoods.