The number of shoplifting incidents recorded by police rose by 5% last year, with a total of 519,381 offences logged in the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the 12 months to September 2025.
That represents a 5% increase on the previous year, when 492,660 such offences were recorded. Robberies of business properties were also up – by a dramatic 66%, to 22,478. And while offences involving knives fell by 9%, some 50,430 of these crimes occurred.
Commenting on the data, the Association of Convenience Stores’ chief executive, James Lowman says:
“Tackling theft, abuse, robbery and other retail crime is a top priority for local shops, with over half a billion pounds spent in the last two years on crime prevention and detection measures. The official figures continue to highlight the challenges facing convenience stores, but they still pale in comparison to the reality faced by retailers and their colleagues.”
Lowman recognises that “significant positive steps have been made throughout the last year on increasing the visibility and accessibility of police forces in communities”, but adds that “what we need now is a commitment throughout the justice system to break the cycle of reoffending.”
