When did we become a nation of shoplifters?
1 month, 3 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 offences where violence is involved – police officers must always respond to those – but to the thousands of non-violent thefts committed on a weekly basis, many of which are not even reported to the police. Perhaps part of the answer lies in a more joined-up, intelligent targeting of the root causes of the shoplifting epidemic: not only of the organised crime networks driving some of the higher-profile offending – but of the poverty that is surely driving much of the rest. Dismantling crime networks is very much the business of the police – rightly high on the list of operational priorities – but, when people are stealing to feed their families, something very different is required.

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History of this topic

Britain's most brazen shoplifters: Experts say high streets have turned into Wild West with staff helpless to stop tide of thieves targeting their stores
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Britain's most brazen shoplifters: Experts say high streets have turned into Wild West with staff helpless to stop tide of thieves targeting their stores

Daily Mail  

Britain's criminal justice system is on 'life-support' and unable to cope with the hordes of brazen shoplifting gangs who have turned the nation's streets into a 'lawless' Wild West. A masked thief - dressed all in black - loading stolen vapes in to a large bag in a Tesco store Thieves are brazenly raiding shops, stealing meats, booze and sweets …

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, 6 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 …

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 …

Shoplifting epidemic adds 10p ‘crime tax’ to every transaction as minister vows end to ‘shameful neglect’ of retail crime
4 months, 1 week ago

Shoplifting epidemic adds 10p ‘crime tax’ to every transaction as minister vows end to ‘shameful neglect’ of retail crime

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A surge in shoplifting under the Conservatives has led to shoppers …

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 …

Britain's shoplifting shame: Stores are suffering two thefts every minute as retail theft hits highest level since records began
5 months 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
5 months 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
8 months 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 puts shoplifters ‘on notice’ in crackdown on epidemic of thefts and assaults on retail workers
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Keir Starmer puts shoplifters ‘on notice’ in crackdown on epidemic of thefts and assaults on retail workers

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. At a speech today at the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers’s annual conference, …

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

Labour blames ‘shoplifter’s charter’ for rising store thefts
11 months ago

Labour blames ‘shoplifter’s charter’ for rising store thefts

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 A “shoplifter’s charter” has seen charging for the offence plummet …

Shoplifting soars to highest level in 20 years
1 year, 2 months 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 …

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, 3 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 …

Shopkeepers take the law into their own hands in war against shoplifting epidemic
1 year, 5 months ago

Shopkeepers take the law into their own hands in war against shoplifting epidemic

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. open image in gallery Poundland sales assistant Kelvin Blake …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Arrest shoplifters even if they steal goods under £200, says policing minister
1 year, 6 months ago

Arrest shoplifters even if they steal goods under £200, says policing minister

The Telegraph  

He said that unless stringent action was taken, British cities could end up like San Francisco, where shops were forced to close because of an escalation in violent shoplifting. He told Parliament two months ago: “We have seen that elsewhere in the world – I think in particular about San Francisco, as well as other American cities – where both …

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 …

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