Outrageous moment LBC host asks guest 'are you a shoplifter' in fiery clash

LBC radio star Tom Swarbrick certainly didn't mince his words when he shut down one enraged caller live on air. During Wednesday's instalment (August 13) of his afternoon show, the 38-year-old broadcaster took calls from listeners up and down the country on some of the biggest issues facing the nation. Arguably, one of the most burning topics which is sure to divide opinions was the rise in shoplifting across the UK.

This week, the public have been told by a police chief that they should stand up to shoplifters themselves and not rely on officers for support. Matthew Barber, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley said tackling thieves was not just a job for police and concerned onlookers for simply filming instances of crime.

He criticised the public for being "part of the problem" and encouraged shop owners to deal with thieves themselves. With the topic enraging Brits across the country, the broadcaster asked his listeners about their own experiences with shoplifters.

Opening the show, one gentlemen revealed the distressing number of thieves raid his shop which has made keeping his business running almost impossible. Later on in the programme, the radio host welcomed someone who was quick to sympathise with shoplifters.

Sympathetic caller Lisa wasted no time in sharing her disappointment with the broadcaster on the airwaves after he branded petty thieves "scumbags." He began: "What would you describe them as, these shoplifters?

"I would describe them as people", she replied to which he bluntly asked: "Are you a shoplifter Lisa?" although the caller refused to answer the question, she hit out at the presenter for "dehumanising people".

She fumed: "Fancy calling human beings scumbags. I think that's very out of order, you should not be dehumanising people. People have their own individual stories. There will be a reason that has brought each and every person to where they are, to the point of shoplifting. Why treat people like they're not human?"

It appeared as thought Tom was at the end of his tether as he argued: "They're scumbags. Did you not hear that bloke? About how he's struggling to run his business? About how he's trying to put things together every month to keep it running and he is prevented from doing so week after week, maybe day after day, by absolute scumbags who go and nick stuff from his shop knowing that it's costing him. How can you not see that's a problem?"

Once again refusing to answer his question, she instead attacked the radio station for not discussing crimes made by rich individuals too. Lisa insisted: "When LBC focuses as much on crimes by governments, crimes by the rich as they do on shoplifters, maybe then I'll get excited about shoplifting."

Bringing an end to their conversation, Tom concluded: "You don't see it as a problem? You don't see it as an issue? You're whatabouterying shoplifting because there are crimes committed by rich people too. Come on, Lisa, this is ridiculous."

It didn't take long before listeners flooded to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their thoughts online. One user penned: "People need to act like decent people, not stealing goods etc from shops."

Another agreed: "I think even Tom is sick of this nonsense" as a third echoed: "THIS is why the world is going mad because people are sticking up for the bad guys all the time!!!!"

A fourth chimed in with: "Of course there are people who shoplift because they're desperate. But the majority do it because a) they know they can get away with it and b) because they don't care about society's rules."

Meanwhile, some argued that there is a time and place for shoplifting when times are desperate. One user argued: "Poverty leads to thefts as people can't afford what they need. The media point out that pharmacies are being targeted (because they have baby food and painkillers). Perhaps if we taxed the rich and gave tot he poor, they wouldn't need to steal ESSENTIALS to live."