Shoplifting hits record high in England and Wales
The latest ONS crime survey also found that personal theft cases reached the highest number since 2004
The number of shoplifting offences in England and Wales has reached its highest point in 20 years, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics.
The number of shoplifting offences reached more than 430,000 for the 12 months ended December 2023, an increase of more than a third compared to the previous year.
Organisations representing retailers believe that this recorded number is a fraction of the true number, according to the ONS.
The latest ONS crime survey also found that personal theft cases reached the highest number since 2004.
Home secretary James Cleverley said: “There is no such thing as a sub-threshold crime. Crime is crime – it’s black and white. Criminal activity should be policed. Crimes that people see have a corrosive effect on their confidence, and a lack of confidence to be able to live your full life is really important.
“When people see videos of shops being robbed, that has a corrosive effect – so we have to deal with it, which is why we’ve made it absolutely clear they [police] will pursue every reasonable line of inquiry.”
