Top retail bosses are calling for new laws to protect shopworkers as violent thugs continue to target south-east London stores in heinous criminal acts.

Since January, News Shopper have reported a number of criminal incidents at supermarkets across the boroughs, with some ending in staff members being assaulted.

As store burglaries continue across the borough, we've created a map and timeline of the stores which fell victim to crimes since the start of year.

When asked to comment on the situation visible in stores across SE London, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson OBE said the solution may lie in creating a specific offence for assaulting retail workers as she revealed the shocking statistics behind workplace violence.

"Violence against employees remains one of the most pressing issues retailers face, yet our Crime Survey once again shows we have seen an increase in the overall number of incidents.

"Every day, 115 people are attacked at work. Such crimes harm not just hardworking employees, but also on their families and communities.

"No one should go to work fearing threats and abuse.

"The spiralling cost of retail crime, both in losses and the cost of prevention, are a huge burden to a retail sector that is already weighed down by the twin challenges of skyrocketing business costs and Brexit uncertainty.

"To play its part in stemming this tide of crime we ask for a specific criminal offence to protect retail employees from assault at work, as has been done for emergency workers."

When asked to comment on the number of Co-op stores robbed in the last seven months, a spokesman for the company said: "The safety of our colleagues and customers is of paramount importance and Co-op takes retail crime very seriously.

"We are implementing a number of measures to deter both criminal activity and aid convictions."

Sainsbury's were also contacted for a comment.