Urfan Hussain holds a baseball bat inside his store. (Muirhouse Post Office via SWNS)
By Elizabeth Hunter
A shopkeeper has gone viral for "declaring war" on shoplifters - while posing with a baseball bat.
Urfan Hussain took to social media after a thief stole $7 worth of chocolate from his Muirhouse Post Office in Edinburgh.
In a video posted to Facebook, Urfan can be seen smashing cardboard boxes with a baseball bat.
He describes being "sick and tired of people coming in and stealing."
CCTV footage is then shown of the shoplifter as Urfan urges customers to "make the guy go viral" in the hopes of deterring future shoplifters.
Urfan says the usage of the baseball bat was a joke to encourage the video to get more views - but says shoplifting from small businesses is no laughing matter.
He said: "I'm not a violent guy - this was just my way of entertaining at the same time as delivering the message.
"I don't use a bat to chase shoplifters - it was just to get views and shame the people that steal from their local shops.
"This man stole on Friday, and a message was sent to him asking him to come back and pay.
"I go out of my way to help people out - if somebody's short of money, I'll give them time to hand it in.
Hussain says the baseball bat was to send a message, and that he's not a "violent guy." (Muirhouse Post Office via SWNS)
"He didn't do that, so after a week, we decided to name and shame him.
"Police don't do anything about shoplifters - it's a slap on the wrist, and then the shop loses out because we don't get the money back.
"This might deter them from doing it to other shops - nobody wants their face plastered over social media saying you're a shoplifter."
In the video, he says: "I'm sick and tired of people still coming in and stealing after that last viral video.
"People are still coming in and stealing from their own doorstep. Why shite on your own doorstep?
"Honestly. I've given him five or six days, lets make this guy viral just like the last one.
"Make this guy viral, guys. It's your bossman, love you to bits"
Urfan's videos have attracted the attention of the local community, with most comments showing support for the shop, and attempting to help identify the shoplifter.
He believes that online naming-and-shaming is the way forward for small businesses, and hope more shops follow Muirhouse's example.
"The reaction has been amazing," said Urfan.
"99% of the comments are on my side.
"I think this is the way forward - to name and shame on Facebook, so they get embarrassed.
"All shops should take a stance and fight shoplifting this way, rather than calling the police and wasting their time - they've got better things to do than deal with petty shoplifters, or that's what they say to us.
"This way, it sends a message - shoplift and become famous on social media."
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