"When incidents are reported, only 16.7% lead to prosecution. This means that Bira believes the true scale of retail crime is far greater than even the official ONS figures suggest, with repeat offenders accounting for nearly 70% of incidents."
"We welcome the Government's commitment to 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers by March 2026 and the Crime and Policing Bill measures, including ending the £200 theft loophole and creating a new offence for assaulting retail workers."
"However, we urge swift implementation of the Government's Winter of Action - the renewed focus on tackling shop theft in town centres following the summer crime blitz - and call for consistent police response standards across all forces."
"We would also like to see greater use of community behaviour orders (CBOs) in order to deal with the perennial offenders. Independent retailers are the backbone of our high streets and need visible support now to protect their businesses, their staff, and their livelihoods."
There were 529,994 shoplifting offences recorded in the year ending June, a 13% increase. Reported incidents lead to prosecution in only 16.7% of cases, and repeat offenders account for nearly 70% of incidents. Retail theft costs exceed £2.2bn annually. Government measures include a commitment to 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers by March 2026 and Crime and Policing Bill provisions to end the £200 theft loophole and create a new offence for assaulting retail workers. A Winter of Action targets shop theft in town centres. Greater use of community behaviour orders (CBOs) and consistent police response standards are proposed. Organised crime and gangs are an increasing concern.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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