Shoplifting soars to highest level in 20 years
1 year, 1 month ago

Shoplifting soars to highest level in 20 years

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales have risen to the highest level since current records began 20 years ago, according to official statistics. In October last year, the government launched an "action plan to tackle shoplifting" after increased pressure from businesses, and Downing Street said today that ministers were looking at ways to implement these plans. “I think there is work that has been done, particularly with private companies, about how we can go further to tackle this issue.” The overall number of crimes recorded by police in England and Wales in the year to September 2023 stood at 6.7 million, up slightly from 6.6 million in the previous year and higher than 6.1 million in the pre-pandemic year of 2019/20. Improvement in the recording of offences by police, together with more victims reporting crime, changes in the data to include new offences, plus “genuine increases” in some kinds of crime, have “each made substantial contributions to rises in recorded crime over recent years,” the ONS said.

England Wales Ons Shoplifting Recorded Crime  offences  20  level  sign  rising  soars  shoplifting  recorded  crime  wales  highest  increased  million  ons

History of this topic

I'm a professional shoplifter and I can make £5,000 a day - if shops go out of business that's not my fault, they should have better security
2 weeks, 4 days ago

I'm a professional shoplifter and I can make £5,000 a day - if shops go out of business that's not my fault, they should have better security

Daily Mail  

A brazen shoplifter, who proudly steals up to £5,000 a day, is adamant shops going bust isn't her fault because they 'should have better security'. A brazen shoplifter, who boasts about her three-year long 'professional' career has said shops need to be better at their jobs The single mother, who turned to lawlessness after the break down of her family, …

Britain has turned from a nation of shopkeepers into a nation of shoplifters – and we’re all paying a shocking price
1 month ago

Britain has turned from a nation of shopkeepers into a nation of shoplifters – and we’re all paying a shocking price

The Independent  

In South Ruislip, west London, at around 2pm on a grey day in mid-February, a woman walks into Greggs, fills up her bag with sandwiches, and walks out again. From some angles, there’s little surprise: towards the close of last year, the Trussell Trust revealed that more than 9 million Britons are now vulnerable to reliance on food banks, while …

When did we become a nation of shoplifters?
1 month, 2 weeks ago

When did we become a nation of shoplifters?

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I am not talking here about …

Last year saw the highest number of drug crimes in 10 years
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Last year saw the highest number of drug crimes in 10 years

NL Times  

The number of registered drug-related crimes rose to its highest level in the last 10 years in 2024. Examples of drug-related crimes include arrests of drug traffickers, manufacturers, and people with illegal drugs on their person. The police said that the number of drug-related crimes is actually much higher than the numbers show. Crime expert Yarin Eski of the Free …

Shoplifting soars in England and Wales by staggering amount
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Shoplifting soars in England and Wales by staggering amount

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Shoplifting has surged to another …

Police record almost half a million shoplifting offences in England and Wales
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Police record almost half a million shoplifting offences in England and Wales

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nearly half a million shoplifting offences were recorded by police …

Half of Britons say stealing food if you are starving is fine as police reveal they dealt with 469,788 shoplifting offences last year
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Half of Britons say stealing food if you are starving is fine as police reveal they dealt with 469,788 shoplifting offences last year

Daily Mail  

Over half of Britons believe that stealing food if you are starving is fine after police revealed dealing with a record number of shoplifting offences over the past year. Police recorded 469,788 shoplifting incidents in the year to June, a staggering 29 per cent rise on the previous year and equating to over 1,200 offences per day. For instance, a …

The UK's shoplifting hotspots: Interactive map reveals areas with highest number of store thefts - as inquiry finds number of reported crimes are a just a 'drop in the ocean'
4 months, 2 weeks ago

The UK's shoplifting hotspots: Interactive map reveals areas with highest number of store thefts - as inquiry finds number of reported crimes are a just a 'drop in the ocean'

Daily Mail  

A new interactive map reveals the UK's shoplifting hotspots, with the scale of the crisis varying dramatically area by area. Police data shows the North East takes the top spot for shoplifting crimes, with a rate of 11.5 per 1,000 people - 35 per cent higher than the national average. Shoplifting in England and Wales surged by 26 per cent …

Stop trivialising ‘devastating’ high street thefts, police urged
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Stop trivialising ‘devastating’ high street thefts, police urged

The Telegraph  

According to official figures, there were 443,995 incidents of theft from shops recorded by police in the year to March 2024, up 30pc on a year earlier. The British Retail Consortium estimates that there are 17m incidents of shop theft every year, costing retailers almost £2bn every year. Lord Foster said there was more to do to educate the public …

Britain's shoplifting shame: Stores are suffering two thefts every minute as retail theft hits highest level since records began
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Britain's shoplifting shame: Stores are suffering two thefts every minute as retail theft hits highest level since records began

Daily Mail  

Britain's stores are suffering two thefts every minute as retail theft has hit its highest level since records began. Chief constables now face questions about policing priorities after official data revealed nearly 6,000 crimes went unsolved every day last year, with 40 per cent of all recorded crimes going unpunished. Almost 444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by forces in England …

Shoplifting at an all-time high with 1,300 offences recorded every day, new figures show
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Shoplifting at an all-time high with 1,300 offences recorded every day, new figures show

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Shoplifting soars to 20-year high in England and Wales as figures show 30 per cent rise in last year alone
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Shoplifting soars to 20-year high in England and Wales as figures show 30 per cent rise in last year alone

Daily Mail  

The shoplifting epidemic that is plaguing Britain has seen figures reach a 20 year high in England and Wales. In the last year alone there has been a 30 per cent rise in the crime with 443,995 offences being logged by forces in the year to March 2024 compared to 342,428 in the previous 12 months. The shoplifting epidemic that …

Keir Starmer pledges to toughen laws on shoplifting and scrap the £200 theft threshold
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Keir Starmer pledges to toughen laws on shoplifting and scrap the £200 theft threshold

Daily Mail  

Labour would scrap the £200 shoplifting threshold, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed as he backed the Mail campaign to crack down on assaults against staff. It emerged last week that shoplifting has risen to the highest level since records began in 2003, with 430,104 offences recorded by police last year. Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to reverse what he called a …

Knife crime in London: What the latest figures show
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Knife crime in London: What the latest figures show

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Knife crime offences in London recorded by the Metropolitan Police …

Met has worst rate for solving shoplifting cases
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Met has worst rate for solving shoplifting cases

The Telegraph  

Sussex had a 10 per cent detection rate, West Midlands, Surrey, Bedfordshire, Avon and Somerset and Northumbria. This contrasted with Norfolk’s 35.2 per cent, followed by Cumbria 33.8 per cent, Suffolk 31.4 per cent, South Yorkshire 30.1 per cent and Humberside 28.1 per cent. ‘All about risk’ David McKelvey, a former Scotland Yard detective chief inspector, who runs a private …

Mapped: Worst areas for knife crime in the UK as incidents rise across country
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Mapped: Worst areas for knife crime in the UK as incidents rise across country

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The number of offences involving …

Shoplifting offences soar to highest level in 20 years, new figures show
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Shoplifting offences soar to highest level in 20 years, new figures show

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said: “In relation to shoplifting …

Shoplifting offences rise to highest level since records began: Store thefts jump by more than a THIRD compared to 2022 - with 430,104 offences recorded in last 12 months, figures show
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Shoplifting offences rise to highest level since records began: Store thefts jump by more than a THIRD compared to 2022 - with 430,104 offences recorded in last 12 months, figures show

Daily Mail  

Shoplifting has risen to the highest level on record amid complaints the crime has been effectively 'decriminalised', new data revealed today. The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003 This is the moment two shoplifters brazenly steal products from a Boots store just yards from a police station - as helpless staff watch …

Police urged to crack down on violence against retail workers amid record shoplifting offences
1 year, 1 month ago

Police urged to crack down on violence against retail workers amid record shoplifting offences

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Police are being urged to take tougher action against attacks …

Lawless Britain? How police have failed to solve over HALF of all shoplifting cases in the past five years, with more than 200k going unsolved in 2023 - around 560 a DAY
1 year, 2 months ago

Lawless Britain? How police have failed to solve over HALF of all shoplifting cases in the past five years, with more than 200k going unsolved in 2023 - around 560 a DAY

Daily Mail  

Police failed to solve more than half of shoplifting cases in the past year, new data revealed today. But despite a fall in overall cases - there was a low of 241,603 in 2020-21 during the Covid pandemic, when many shops were closed - the proportion of unsolved cases has continued to rise, peaking at 57 per cent last year, …

UK gripped by epidemic of another kind as shoplifting at record high while police turn blind eye
1 year, 2 months ago

UK gripped by epidemic of another kind as shoplifting at record high while police turn blind eye

Firstpost  

The statistics indicate that, out of 362,809 cases examined, a staggering 205,676 shoplifting incidents concluded without identifying a suspect from August to July In an analysis of official figures covering England and Wales, the Liberal Democrats reveal a concerning trend with more than 200,000 shoplifting cases left unresolved in the past 12 months. The statistics indicate that, out of 362,809 …

Is YOUR area a shoplifter's paradise? Shocking interactive map reveals where thieves are getting away scot-free… with just a 5% conviction rate in worst region
1 year, 2 months ago

Is YOUR area a shoplifter's paradise? Shocking interactive map reveals where thieves are getting away scot-free… with just a 5% conviction rate in worst region

Daily Mail  

A new interactive map reveals the huge disparity in where shoplifters get off without being charged, laying bare the crime wave affecting England's supermarkets and shops. Brazen shoplifters stealing for a shop in Doncaster, South Yorkshire in October this year The shoplifter leaves the store after stealing items from the store on October 30 2023 Paul Gerrard, director of public …

Met Police attend less than half of shoplifting incidents in the past year, figures reveal, as offending blows £1 billion black hole in UK high streets
1 year, 3 months ago

Met Police attend less than half of shoplifting incidents in the past year, figures reveal, as offending blows £1 billion black hole in UK high streets

Daily Mail  

Scotland Yard attended less than half of shoplifting incidents in the last year, despite soaring offending blowing a £1billion annual black hole in Britain's high streets. Scotland Yard attended less than half of shoplifting incidents in the last year, despite soaring offending blowing a £1billion annual black hole in Britain's high streets But campaigners have warned that a reluctance to …

Shoplifting surged a staggering 64% in New York City in the past four years - with Los Angeles also seeing a 61% spike
1 year, 4 months ago

Shoplifting surged a staggering 64% in New York City in the past four years - with Los Angeles also seeing a 61% spike

Daily Mail  

Shoplifting continues to be a major crisis in America's two largest cities, as thefts increased 64 percent in New York City and 61 percent in Los Angeles over the last four years. Six other major American cities have Shoplifting continues to be a major crisis in America's two largest cities, as thefts increased 64 percent in New York City and …

Fuel thefts from Britain’s petrol stations soar in mirror of shoplifting epidemic
1 year, 4 months ago

Fuel thefts from Britain’s petrol stations soar in mirror of shoplifting epidemic

The Telegraph  

The shoplifting epidemic hitting Britain has been mirrored on filling station forecourts – with petrol thefts up by almost 400 per cent since before the pandemic. The number of petrol and diesel thefts this year was also 77 per cent higher than last year’s figure, with 22,335 registration requests across the July to September period. ‘Big and growing problem’ Steve …

Police resist demands to respond to every case of shoplifting
1 year, 5 months ago

Police resist demands to respond to every case of shoplifting

The Telegraph  

Police chiefs are resisting demands to respond to every case of shoplifting despite a record surge in thefts from stores. Ministers want police to investigate every crime – including shoplifting below £200 – where there is a reasonable line of inquiry. However, police chiefs argue that it is “not realistic” for officers to respond to every case of shoplifting because …

Police-recorded shoplifting offences in England and Wales jump 25%
1 year, 5 months ago

Police-recorded shoplifting offences in England and Wales jump 25%

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In contrast, the crime survey for England and Wales for the year ending June …

Shoplifting hits record high of 1,000 offences a day
1 year, 5 months ago

Shoplifting hits record high of 1,000 offences a day

The Telegraph  

Shoplifting has hit a record high of 1,000 offences a day, an unprecedented 25 per cent increase in a year, official figures showed on Thursday. However, the detection rate for shoplifters has fallen to a record low with just 18.2 per cent of offences being solved, less than half the 46 per cent when records began in 2016. The figures …

Home Bargains set up ‘confidential hotline’ to report shoplifting with £500 reward
1 year, 5 months ago

Home Bargains set up ‘confidential hotline’ to report shoplifting with £500 reward

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Home Bargains has launched a confidential hotline for customers to report information about shoplifting …

Shoplifting to be treated as ‘high-harm’ crime by new national police team
1 year, 5 months ago

Shoplifting to be treated as ‘high-harm’ crime by new national police team

The Telegraph  

Details of the crackdown are expected to be trailed on Monday by Chris Philp, the policing minister and Katy Bourne, the police and crime commissioner for Sussex and national lead for business and retail crime, who said gangs had been left free to operate for years because of the lack of a co-ordinated national approach. It is understood a team …

UK's shoplifting capitals: Interactive map reveals the places where light-fingered locals are ransacking stores the worst - so how bad is YOUR area?
1 year, 6 months ago

UK's shoplifting capitals: Interactive map reveals the places where light-fingered locals are ransacking stores the worst - so how bad is YOUR area?

Daily Mail  

Less than 20 per cent of shoplifting offences resulted in suspects being charged As Britain reels from a shoplifting crisis that is hitting stores across the country, the worst areas afflicted by the crime have been revealed. Cleveland tops the table as the place with the most number of shoplifting crimes in the past five years per 1,000 people. Cleveland …

‘We kept him for two hours. But the police never came’: the reality on the shoplifting frontline
1 year, 6 months ago

‘We kept him for two hours. But the police never came’: the reality on the shoplifting frontline

The Telegraph  

In the back office of his family-run grocers in Croydon, south London, Ben Selvaratnam is reviewing CCTV footage. “This is yesterday’s incident,” he says, looking at a video clip of two men loading a carrier bag with alcohol and laundry detergent. They’re taking their time – they don’t expect to be challenged.” The recent tide of retail crime started rising …

Thieves target stores every TWO seconds in Britain, costing retailers more than £1billion last year alone, shocking figures show - as Suella Braverman backs a Mail campaign to end the shoplifting epid
1 year, 6 months ago

Thieves target stores every TWO seconds in Britain, costing retailers more than £1billion last year alone, shocking figures show - as Suella Braverman backs a Mail campaign to end the shoplifting epid

Daily Mail  

The Mail on Sunday today reveals the shocking reality of the epidemic of shoplifting that is blighting Britain, as we launch a major campaign to crack down on the crime. The Mail on Sunday's campaign – calling for the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts to be much tougher with shoplifters, and for a change in the law to make …

Mapped: Areas of the UK with the highest levels of shoplifting
1 year, 7 months ago

Mapped: Areas of the UK with the highest levels of shoplifting

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. According to a recent study by TradingPedia, the City of London had the highest …

Shoplifters could be handed prison sentences under revisions to crime bill
1 year, 7 months ago

Shoplifters could be handed prison sentences under revisions to crime bill

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Shoplifters committing repeat …

1 in 10 young Brits admit shoplifting due to cost of living crisis: Study
1 year, 10 months ago

1 in 10 young Brits admit shoplifting due to cost of living crisis: Study

Hindustan Times  

In a shocking revelation, one in 10 young adults in the UK has admitted to steal products from supermarkets to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, according to a study by money-saving app ZipZero, The Metro reports. As the crisis worsens, one in five Britishers has coped to financial aid to pay for his/her essentials. Food, fuel, rent, broadband, taxes and soon …

Fewer than a quarter of car thefts attended by police, figures show
1 year, 11 months ago

Fewer than a quarter of car thefts attended by police, figures show

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Fewer than a quarter of car thefts were attended by …

‘Women deserve better’ – Police-recorded crime hits high after sex offences rise
2 years, 4 months ago

‘Women deserve better’ – Police-recorded crime hits high after sex offences rise

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Victim support groups have said “women deserve better” after a …

Record levels of violent and sex crime cases in courts backlog for over a year
2 years, 5 months ago

Record levels of violent and sex crime cases in courts backlog for over a year

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Long waits for trial cause immense stress and misery …

Dog thefts hit seven-year high with more than 2,700 snatched last year
2 years, 10 months ago

Dog thefts hit seven-year high with more than 2,700 snatched last year

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. West Yorkshire had the second-highest number of dog thefts, with 199 reports to West …

Knife crime hit record high before coronavirus lockdown, figures show
4 years, 8 months ago

Knife crime hit record high before coronavirus lockdown, figures show

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The latest year was 51 per cent higher than …

Only 7 per cent of crimes prosecuted in England and Wales as figure hits record low
4 years, 11 months ago

Only 7 per cent of crimes prosecuted in England and Wales as figure hits record low

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The number of crimes prosecuted …

Knife crime hits record high in England and Wales after 7% rise in 2019
4 years, 11 months ago

Knife crime hits record high in England and Wales after 7% rise in 2019

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Figures for the year ending December 2019 showed a …

Knife crimes soared to new record high in 2019 - up seven per cent
5 years, 2 months ago

Knife crimes soared to new record high in 2019 - up seven per cent

Daily Mail  

Knife crime in England and Wales hit a record high in the year to September, up by 7 per cent on the previous 12 months. Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, also released today alongside the police recorded statistics, showed continued rises in overall fraud, with a 9 per cent increase - to 3.8 million offences - …

Police record more crime, due to rise in fraud and internet-related incidents
5 years, 2 months ago

Police record more crime, due to rise in fraud and internet-related incidents

Dutch News  

The number of crimes reported to the police rose 4% last year, the first recorded rise in nine years, but ‘traditional’ crimes are still going down, according to new figures. There were fewer reports of burglary and pick-pocketing, but there was a sharp rise in the number of reports of fraud – particularly internet and bank related fraud, the new …

Police record more crime, due to rise in fraud and internet-related incidents
5 years, 2 months ago

Police record more crime, due to rise in fraud and internet-related incidents

Dutch News  

The number of crimes reported to the police rose 4% last year, the first recorded rise in nine years, but ‘traditional’ crimes are still going down, according to new figures. There were fewer reports of burglary and pick-pocketing, but there was a sharp rise in the number of reports of fraud – particularly internet and bank related fraud, the new …

Knife crime: Offences hit highest level since 2009, official figures reveal
6 years ago

Knife crime: Offences hit highest level since 2009, official figures reveal

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In his Spring Statement, chancellor Philip Hammond said the …

Number of arrests made by police in England and Wales halved in last decade, figures show
6 years, 4 months ago

Number of arrests made by police in England and Wales halved in last decade, figures show

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Data released last week showed forces registered 5.6 million crimes in the 12 months …

Surge in gun and knife crime fuels recorded crime rise
7 years, 1 month ago

Surge in gun and knife crime fuels recorded crime rise

Daily Mail  

Recorded crime has leapt by the biggest spike in crime since 1990, new figures out today reveal. The number of crimes logged by police is up 14 per cent to 5.3million, recorded crime statistics published by Office for National Statistics showed. Changes for 1998, 1999 and 2016 are not available because of changes in the way recorded crime was counted …

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