Shoplifting rate in England and Wales hits highest level in more than 20 years

Police recorded 402,482 shoplifting offences in 12 months to September, ONS figures reveal

The rate of shoplifting in England and Wales has hit its highest level for more than two decades after rising by nearly a third in a year, the latest crime figures show.

Data from the Office for National Statistics revealed there were 402,482 shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales in the 12 months up to September 2023, the first time the number has exceeded 400,000 since records began in 2002.