A Wandsworth business owner has hit back at would-be criminals after his family was "endangered by a violent shop lifter."

Dominic Crowe was holding his baby when he arrived just before 6pm at his Lark London store in Tooting on May 8.

When inside he noticed his wife was chatting to a man at the back of the shop.

"She signalled that we have to keep an eye on him," Mr Crowe told the Wandsworth Times.

"He quite cleverly pulled a pair of jeans off the rack and put them in his jacket.

"We asked him 'what are you doing' and he just kept walking."

It was at this point that Mr Crowe's wife grabbed the shoplifter's jacket before he made a run for it.

"I put the baby down and gave chase," Mr Crowe said.

"A member of the public had seen there was a bit of shouting and called the police, who were there within five minutes which was great."

This wasn't the first time one of his store's had been targeted, and it wouldn't be the last.

The very next day he got a call from staff at the Mitcham Road shop who said that three girls had shoplifted items.

He said the girls grabbed umbrellas and threatened to assault staff.

On this occasion though, they were arrested.

Mr Crowe wants people to know that they can't just get away with this.

"We are trying to fight back," he said.

"Normally we would just take the items back and say they are barred.

"But we want them to know that we will be calling the police no and that they won't get away with it."

He noted that all of his shops now have CCTV and a panic alarm to deter would be crooks.

"We have young girls working on the shops and they are scared and worried for their safety," he added.

"We are just a family business trying to make a living."