Shoplifting “epidemic” as offences rise by a third in past year

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservative Government of overseeing a “shoplifting epidemic” as new statistics reveal shoplifting offences have risen by a third in the past year.

The latest figures show there were 402,482 shoplifting cases in the year to September 2023, a 32% increase on the previous year.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures show the Government’s attempts to tackle soaring shoplifting rates have been completely ineffective. This has included announcing a meagre £30,000 of government funding to crack down on shoplifting, amounting to just 7p per offence.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: 

“Yet again, this Conservative Government is sitting on its hands while shopkeepers are left to face a growing shoplifting epidemic alone.

“We already know what works to stop crime - and it’s not task forces and tinkering with the edges of policies. It’s putting bobbies back on the beat and ensuring they have the resources to properly investigate all crimes. 

“If the Conservatives were serious about stopping shoplifting, they would give up the gimmicks and commit to restoring proper community policing.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Shoplifting statistics source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending September 2023.

The government is contributing just £30,000 to a new taskforce to tackle shoplifting announced in October 2023. This amounts to just 7p per shoplifting offence (Source: BBC News, 23 October 2023).