The Office for National Statistics have released its annual figures on shoplifting, revealing the highest volume of shop theft since the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in 2003.
The figures show that there were over 9,000 more incidents of shop theft in the year ending September 2015 when compared with the previous year. While most offences recorded by the NCRS have seen steady decline, shop theft has slowly risen over recent years.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Shop theft is a serious crime, which for some retailers can be extremely damaging to the profitability of their business. These government figures are disappointing and must not be ignored.
“Government must be clear that shop theft is a serious offence. Police and crime commissioners and police forces must prioritise shop theft. The courts must impose meaningful sentences to deter and punish shop theft. Retailers must report shop theft.“
Figures from the ACS Crime Survey (2015) show that shop theft cost the convenience sector alone in excess of £35m between 2014-15, despite millions being spent on investment in crime prevention measures over the same time period.
ACS will release the results of its 2016 Crime Survey on March 17th at the Crime Seminar in London. Places at the Crime Seminar are free for retailers, for more information and to book your place, click here.
