Police in England and Wales recorded half a million shoplifting offences for the first time ever.
There was a total of 516,971 offences recorded in 2024 which is up by 20% from 429,872 in 2023.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said this is the highest number of recorded offences since March 2023.
The ONS said there has been a “sharp rise” in shoplifting offences since the pandemic.
Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said, “This Labour Government will not tolerate the criminality blighting our communities.
“That’s why we’re putting almost 3,000 more bobbies on the beat in neighbourhood roles this year, and under our leadership, these crimes will receive the attention they deserve.
“We are already starting to reverse the Tories’ decade of decline on charge rates.”
She added, “Today’s figures are yet more evidence of the damage done by destroying neighbourhood policing as the Tories did over 14 years.”
The director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said, “While retailers are spending £1.8 billion on anti-crime measures, thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive, resulting in an increase in violence and abuse against staff.
“It is vital we see more police resource allocated to tackle this epidemic of crime.”
He added, “While the ONS statistics show that shoplifting is at record levels, their figures severely underestimate the problem.
“Their figures are equivalent to less than two incidents per shop per year; if you ask most shopkeepers they’ll tell you they’re lucky if a day goes by without a shoplifting incident.”
Billy Gazard of the ONS said, “While police-recorded offences involving knives and sharp instruments have increased, there has been a marked decrease in firearms offences.
“However, shoplifting offences continue to rise, reaching half a million offences in the year ending December 2024, the highest on record.”
