Overview

• Police recorded 516,971 shoplifting offences in 2024, a 20% rise from 2023 and the highest since records began in 2003.
• London saw a dramatic 54% increase in shoplifting incidents, far outpacing the 15% rise in the rest of England and Wales.
• Only 19% of shoplifting cases in 2024 resulted in charges, while 57% concluded with no suspect identified, reflecting persistently low prosecution rates.
• Retailers report spending £1.8 billion annually on security, with shoplifting costing the sector over £2.2 billion each year.
• The Labour government has pledged to add 3,000 neighborhood police officers and is reviewing policies to address organized retail crime and underreporting.