Shoplifting hits record high in England and Wales

Retailers say theft is “spiralling uncontrolled” after official figures present shoplifting in England and Wales is at its highest stage since present data started greater than 20 years in the past.There have been 530,643 reported shoplifting offences within the 12 months to March, a 20% enhance from the earlier 12 months, based on the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS).The ONS stated there had been “sharp rises” in store theft because the pandemic.Retail teams stated they have been involved by the rise in organised crime, saying gangs have been “hitting retailer after retailer”.The figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the 12 months as much as March 2025 confirmed shoplifting offences have been on the highest stage since present police recording practices started within the 12 months to March 2003.”The ONS figures show what retailers have lengthy been telling us – that retail theft is spiralling uncontrolled,” stated British Retailers Affiliation director Tom Ironside.He stated such theft was “not a victimless crime”, including that it triggered violence and abuse in direction of employees and value retailers and clients £2.2bn a 12 months.”The rise in organised crime is a major concern, with gangs hitting retailer after retailer, even inside a single day,” he stated.Affiliation of Comfort Shops (ACS) chief government James Lowman stated the official statistics have been solely a part of the story. Separate figures from the ACS crime report discovered comfort shops recorded greater than 6.2 million incidents of shoplifting previously 12 months, he stated.”Retailers inform us that they will not report crime in the event that they haven’t any religion in it being investigated,” he stated.Mr Lowman stated the figures confirmed that retail crime must be taken critically “all through the justice system”.”Solely then will we have the ability to begin bringing the numbers down and cease widespread reoffending by criminals which are appearing with confidence that they won’t be apprehended,” he stated.Earlier this 12 months the federal government unveiled the Crime and Policing Invoice which the Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper stated would tackle an “epidemic of road theft”, together with shoplifting.Below the invoice the present £200 threshold for shoplifting, which implies thefts underneath that worth are handled as summary-only offences and never prioritised by police.Mr Ironside stated eradicating that threshold would “ship a transparent sign that every one shoplifting is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.”Responding to the brand new ONS figures, Ms Cooper stated the federal government was working to rebuild native policing.She stated greater than 500 city centres can be getting additional patrols and there can be 3,000 extra neighbourhood officers and police neighborhood help officers by subsequent spring.