Shoplifting offences in UK reach highest level on record, figures reveal

Number of recorded offences rose to 516,971 last year, though retailers fear data severely underestimates' scale of problem

The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has risen to the highest level on record, according to official figures, surpassing half a million offences for the first time in 2024.

A total of 516,971 shoplifting offences were recorded last year, a 20% increase on the 429,873 recorded in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics.