The number of shoplifting offences in England and Wales has increased over the past year.

According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), for the 12 months to June 2014 the police recorded 321,839 shoplifting offences, a 5% increase compared with the previous year and the highest since the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standards in 2002/03.

Shoplifting accounted for 9% of all police recorded crime for the period.

Of the 43 territorial police force areas, 32 reported an increase in shoplifting over the year. Durham reported a 20% increase, the highest in the country, with Derbyshire (19%) and North Wales (17%) also seeing a growth in shoplifting. The Metropolitan Police Service reported just a 2% increase in shoplifting offences.

It attributes the rise to an increase in the reporting of shoplifting by retailers as well as an increase in the number of shoplifting offences being committed.

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