Overview

• Police recorded 492,914 shoplifting offences in England and Wales in the year to September 2024, a 23% increase from the previous year and the highest annual total since records began in 2003.
• Retailers report that the actual number of incidents is likely much higher, with many cases going unreported to authorities.
• Of the shoplifting cases recorded, 19% resulted in charges or summons, while 57% of investigations were closed with no suspect identified.
• A survey by the British Retail Consortium highlights over 2,000 shoplifting incidents daily, often involving violence, threats, or abuse toward retail staff.
• The government has pledged to address shoplifting by increasing police resources and introducing a specific offence for assaulting shop workers, following years of advocacy by business groups.