Shoplifting crisis in England and Wales, according to shops and police

Official data shows police forces across England and Wales, excluding the British Transport Police, recorded 502,011 shoplifting offences in 2025-26 alone.

More than half of those investigations were closed with no suspect identified.

The government said it is exploring other avenues of tackling prolific shoplifting, in addition to prison sentences and drug treatment, such as technology or court orders preventing them from visiting certain shops or areas.

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