The latest complaints from the German Trade Association about increasing gang crime and shoplifting are more than just an industry-specific problem – they are a worrying symptom of social imbalances and security policy deficits.

When retailers talk about organised theft rings, when employees in city centres have to fear aggressive perpetrators, and when 98% of all incidents are no longer reported, then the rule of law has lost ground in a central area of life. Shops, which should be places of everyday life and social interaction, are increasingly becoming safe havens from an uninhibited parallel reality – with surveillance, bulletproof glass and security services.

It is understandable that retailers complain about high prevention costs. But in the long term, society will be presented with a much larger bill: when the law is no longer enforced, trust disappears. Not only between retailers and authorities, but also between customers and shops. Anyone who is confronted with mistrust and security measures everywhere does not feel like a customer, but like a potential suspect.

The connection with other crises is obvious: social imbalances, loss of purchasing power, staff shortages, an overburdened justice system. When even pensioners and families are resorting to theft more often, according to studies, the debate should not only focus on security, but also on social causes. But even that does not excuse violence or organised crime – it only underlines how complex the causes are.

The warning against ‘conditions like in the USA’ may seem exaggerated – but it is a reminder not to downplay the trend. The state must respond with consistent prosecution, better equipment for the police and judiciary, but also with a social policy strategy that creates prospects instead of resignation.

Anyone who wants to preserve brick-and-mortar retail – and with it vibrant city centres – must not allow it to become a battlefield between crime, mistrust and bureaucracy.