Desperate Tesco bosses forced to take drastic step to stop shoplifters nicking cans of Monster Energy drink

RETAILERS have slapped theft protection caps on energy drinks as the war on shoplifting heats up.

Snaps show £1.85 cans of Monster Energy with thick plastic lids stapled on in one Tesco Express store in central London.

The anti-theft tags can only be taken off by staff at the checkout.

If not, they will set off alarms at the exit.

Products such as Spam and tea bags have been locked up in stores as shoplifting reports hit a high of 1,300 a day.

A retail source said: “Monster Energy is a big brand so it becomes a target for shoplifters.

“It’s far easier to steal a single can than a multipack.

“The new caps mean that even if they get it out of the store they can’t open the drink, so the idea is it will make taking it less appealing.”

A source close to Tesco said tags were applied on a store-by-store basis.

Cases of shoplifting surged to record levels earlier this year with 1,300 thefts reported to police across the country every day.

Graham Wynn, of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Shoplifting poses a huge issue to businesses and communities and inadequate police action has given criminals a free rein.”