Shop theft offences in England and Wales have increased 25% over the past year according to new data.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics’ Crime Survey for England and Wales revealed a 25% increase of incidents of shop theft to a total of 365,164 offences in the year ending June 2023.
Figures from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) Crime Report show that there were over 1.1m incidents of theft recorded over the last year, with two thirds of those committing theft being repeat offenders.
It was reported that the most commonly stolen items are meat, alcohol and confectionery – typically high value items that can then be sold on by those with a drug or alcohol addiction, or part of wider organised crime groups.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Convenience retailers are facing unprecedented levels of theft against their businesses at the hands of prolific offenders who are targeting stores repeatedly without fear of reproach. These incidents take a huge toll on retailers and their colleagues, so it’s crucial that every incident reported to the police gets investigated.
“The official figures reported to the police, while rising, still represent a fraction of what’s actually happening on the ground. The vast majority of theft still goes unreported, as retailers are frustrated at the lack of response and follow up activity from their local police forces.”
At the ACS Heart of the Community event earlier this week, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne OBE, called on retailers to reach out to their local PCCs and report every crime that happens so that the authorities can see the full extent of the issue.
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