Although the police have set up a Retail Theft Unit in Bradford with more officers deployed in the city centre, it is clear from comments today from Chief Inspector Ray Shepherd that he feels that combating shoplifting should come fairly low down their list of priorities.

But while he is probably correct when he says that the general public are more concerned about other areas of crime, it is a fact that shoplifting - much of it carried out by a hardcore of 50 heroin addicts - can be a major drain on shops' profits and in at least one case has been blamed directly for the closure of a city-centre business.

Should the businesses themselves be doing more to protect their goods? Chief Inspector Shepherd says they should be more proactive in deterring the criminals and not rely so much on the police. And it is true that individuals take measures (sometimes expensive measures) to protect their cars and homes. So why shouldn't shops take the similar precautions?

Some smaller retailers have a point when they say that the costs involved in employing security staff and installing CCTV cameras could damage the viability of their businesses. But against that must be set the cost of replacing stolen stock. Either way, shoplifting eats into profits - and, of course, pushes up prices.

At the end of the day it is up to the police and the shops between them to establish a partnership in which they all do what they can to stem this crime which, while perhaps petty in the broad scheme of things, is causing a real headache in Bradford.