The latest Office for National Statistics Crime Survey for England and Wales, covering the 12 months to June 2024, has revealed a new record high in the number of shoplifting offences.
During the period, there were 469,788 recorded shoplifting offences compared to 365,173 in the previous year, an increase of 29%.
The number of offences is the highest ever recorded by the ONS since current recording practices began in 2003.
The situation in Scotland is, if anything, even worse.
According to Scottish Government figures for the 12 months to March 2024, shoplifting levels rose 35% year on year to 38,674 recorded crimes. This is an increase of 41% since 2014-15, and the highest recorded level in a decade.
The Association of Convenience Stores’ Crime Report estimates that convenience retailers have recorded over 5.6 million incidents of theft over the last year.
