The Association of Convenience Stores has warned the Home Affairs Select Committee that organised gangs are operating in plain sight in communities, stealing from shops on a massive scale and running dodgy shops with illicit products as part of a network of wider serious criminal activity.
The Association of Convenience Stores has warned the Home Affairs Select Committee that organised gangs are operating in plain sight in communities, stealing from shops on a massive scale and running dodgy shops with illicit products as part of a network of wider serious criminal activity.
ACS has welcomed a significant victory in the battle against the illicit trade today as the Government announced 12 month closure orders for businesses found to be selling illicit products.
Existing powers allow premises to be closed for up to six months, but the Government note that businesses can often reopen before investigations have concluded, allowing criminal activity to resume and creating additional burdens for local authorities, police forces and the courts.
ACS has welcomed a significant victory in the battle against the illicit trade today as the Government announced 12 month closure orders for businesses found to be selling illicit products.
Existing powers allow premises to be closed for up to six months, but the Government note that businesses can often reopen before investigations have concluded, allowing criminal activity to resume and creating additional burdens for local authorities, police forces and the courts.
ACS welcomed new Government action to strengthen enforcement against rogue traders and organised crime operating on high streets across the country.
The Home Office has set out new measures to back responsible retailers, including a £30m package to tackle criminal activity linked to high street businesses.
ACS welcomed new Government action to strengthen enforcement against rogue traders and organised crime operating on high streets across the country.
The Home Office has set out new measures to back responsible retailers, including a £30m package to tackle criminal activity linked to high street businesses.
Record investment by local shops in crime prevention and detection measures has led to a year-on-year fall in the number of shop theft incidents recorded in the convenience sector.
The Association of Convenience Stores' annual Crime Report, released today, shows that over the last year there have been 5.8 million incidents of shop theft recorded by retailers, along with just over 950,000 incidents of verbal abuse. This compares to 6.2 million incidents of theft and 1.2 million incidents of verbal abuse in the 2025 ACS Crime Report.
Record investment by local shops in crime prevention and detection measures has led to a year-on-year fall in the number of shop theft incidents recorded in the convenience sector.
The Association of Convenience Stores' annual Crime Report, released today, shows that over the last year there have been 5.8 million incidents of shop theft recorded by retailers, along with just over 950,000 incidents of verbal abuse. This compares to 6.2 million incidents of theft and 1.2 million incidents of verbal abuse in the 2025 ACS Crime Report.
The number of shop thefts recorded by the police has increased by 5% on the previous year to 519,381 incidents.
Local shops have welcomed planned reforms to the policing system aimed at prioritising responding to and dealing with neighbourhood crimes like shop theft and anti social behaviour.
Under new reforms announced this week as part of the Policing White Paper, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds. These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes.
