Retail crime remains out of control despite signs of progress, say retailers [Exclusive]

Police say shoplifting is slowly coming under control. Retailers say it is getting worse. At the heart of the debate lies a growing confidence gap that may be just as damaging as crime itself, finds Asian Trader.

Lately, crime and shop theft have been major defining challenges facing Britain's retail sector. Shoplifting, abuse, violence, burglary and organised theft have become recurring themes in industry reports, retailer surveys and political debates.

Hardly a week passes without another retailer reports of offenders brazenly walking out with baskets of goods, threatening staff, or returning time and again despite previous warnings.

On the other hand, tackling shoplifting and other forms of retail crime continue have been on the agenda of police forces across the country.

In April, the Metropolitan Police reported that shoplifting offences in London fell by 3.7 per cent in the year ending March 2026, equivalent to around 3,200 fewer incidents than the previous year.

The force says it has nearly doubled the number of shoplifting cases solved, increased arrests by almost 50 per cent and improved positive outcomes, including arrests, charges and convictions.

The figures suggest progress. However, convenience retailers Asian Trader spoke to beg to disagree.

The wait is on

For years, south London-based retailer Benedict Selvaratnam has been one of the convenience retail sector's most vocal campaigners on crime, abuse and shop theft.

The owner of Freshfields Market in Croydon has consistently urged retailers to report offences, engage with police and ensure incidents are formally recorded. Like many in the sector, he has argued that crime cannot be tackled if it remains invisible.

Then, in the early hours of March 27, crime arrived at his own doorstep. At around 2am, two masked men broke into Freshfields Market.

CCTV footage seen by Asian Trader shows the burglars forcing entry before systematically clearing out stock.

"The entire stock of cigarettes and vapes were taken away. The store also suffered damage as they broke the shutters and glass while making their way inside," Selvaratnam told Asian Trader.

"It is hard to put into words what this feels like. You spend years building something, showing up for your community, supporting local events, doing what you can and in a few minutes, a lot of that is undone."

Retailer Benedict Selvaratnam Benedict Selvaratnam

Yet while the burglary itself was devastating, it was the aftermath that left the retailer questioning the system he had spent years encouraging others to trust.

While he received the crime reference number the following day, the police visited the store “approximately 10 days later”, after which he was contacted by email for the evidence.

“There was no real update or progress at the start. I submitted CCTV footage of the break-in and robbery when asked, but I haven’t had any meaningful follow-up for a long time,” Selvaratnam told Asian Trader more than a month after the incident.

“Such lack of basic communication doesn’t inspire confidence. It feels like the process has slipped.”

The timing of Selvaratnam's experience is significant, as less than a month after the burglary at his store, Metropolitan Police called on retailers to share CCTV and evidence to help officers target shoplifters, while stating that the force “has made significant progress in tackling shoplifting”.

Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, the Met's lead for tackling retail crime, insists progress is being made.

Speaking to Asian Trader, Pathania said, "We know that shoplifting can be deeply distressing for retailers, particularly small businesses where every loss hits hard and affects livelihoods.

“Over the past year, we have nearly doubled the number of shoplifting cases solved and made almost 50 per cent more arrests than the year before.

“We are also working to bring more retail crime reporting platforms on board, making sure that retailers of all sizes have accessible and affordable ways to report crime.”

‘Evidential difficulties’

The Metropolitan Police stated that at present, just 20 per cent of shoplifting cases are submitted with CCTV evidence. Where clear CCTV is provided, officers are able to identify around 80 per cent of suspects by running images through facial recognition software and crime databases.

Selvaratnam’s experience with the police was, however, starkly different.

In the third week of May and more than 45 days after the burglary incident, following repeated requests for updates, the retailer received correspondence from the Metropolitan Police (seen by Asian Trader) informing him that the case had been filed away due to "evidential difficulties and the ability to identify a suspect".

The footage provided by Selvaratnam shows both the suspect and the offence, though the police pointed out that “faces were never seen due to the offenders wearing face covering”.

The explanation may prompt incredulity among retailers, considering that face coverings are commonplace in crime incidents, particularly in burglaries and organised thefts.

Furthermore, the Met explained that forensic officers did not attend the scene "due to the circumstances [the shop had been tidied and nothing appeared to have been left behind by the offenders], this incident was not suitable for them to attend."

However, that explanation appears at odds with Selvaratnam’s account of events in the immediate aftermath of the burglary.

Speaking to Asian Trader on April 1, less than a week after the break-in, Selvaratnam had stated that he deliberately kept the store closed the following day after the incident because he believed officers might need access to the scene.

"However, the police told me to go ahead, clean up the area and continue with usual trading and that they will come when they have time,” he said.

The apparent discrepancy raises wider questions about the guidance retailers receive following serious crimes and the practical challenges that businesses face when balancing evidence preservation with the need to reopen and trade.

Disconnect in the system

Such challenges are not unique to one incident of burglary.

According to Stephanie Karté, CEO of Retailers Against Crime CIC, there is a genuine disconnect between police expectations and the realities facing independent retailers.

"The issue around CCTV is an important one. In many cases, retailers may not fully understand what evidence is required, how to submit it correctly, or the timescales involved.

"Equally, smaller independent retailers often do not have dedicated security teams or the time and resources to manage complex reporting processes while running a business day to day. This can create a disconnect between retailers and police investigations."

Karté says reporting remains essential despite the frustrations many retailers feel as intelligence sharing and accurate reporting help identify prolific offenders, organised retail crime groups and emerging patterns.

While retailers continue to grapple with crime on the ground, the legislative landscape is certainly shifting. The recently passed Crime and Policing Act introduces tougher measures designed to protect shop workers and crack down on repeat offenders, signaling a renewed political focus on retail crime.

Whether those measures translate into meaningful change for retailers remains to be seen.

A latest survey by the British Independent Retailers Association paints a stark picture.

Almost 77 per cent of retailers reported experiencing theft in the past year, up from 64 per cent previously. Nearly 90 per cent of those affected said theft had worsened.

The survey found that more than three-quarters of respondents believed offenders were becoming more brazen, while a similar proportion identified repeat offenders as the primary source of theft.

More than one in ten respondents estimated that retail crime now costs their business more than £10,000 a year once lost stock, security investments and staff time are taken into account. Yet perhaps the most revealing statistic concerned reporting.

More than 45 per cent of retailers who experienced theft said they had not reported incidents to police at all. Among those who did report offences, police attended in just 67 per cent of cases and only 35 per cent ultimately led to a prosecution.

Asian Trader

BIRA’s findings are reflected in the views of founding members of The Convenience Hub, a close network of UK’s leading convenience retailers, backed by Asian Trader.

In a recent poll, nearly two-thirds of The Convenience Hub’s respondents stated that retail crime is getting worse. One third of respondents said there had been no real change. Only one reported a slight lessening while not a single retailer said crime rate is improving.

Retailers feel that the problem goes beyond policing and extends into wider questions of sentencing, repeat offending and anti-social behaviour.

Based in Berkshire, multiple store-owner and seasoned retailer Arjen Mehr told Asian Trader, "Police resources are stretched and we are at the bottom of the food chain, no pun intended.

"The government needs to start targeting repeat offenders. They could at least eliminate the majority of challenges we have. Until the government grapples with anti-social behaviour nothing will get done sadly."

Mehr believes retailers are becoming increasingly frustrated by political rhetoric that acknowledges the problem without delivering meaningful change.

"We don't want to hear patronising nonsense from MPs about us being at the centre of community hubs and what a wonderful job we are doing.

"Start addressing the real issues. Allocate the resources to the police so that they can at least target certain areas which would be a good start,” he said.

"Legislation is one part of the 'cancer' we currently have and it's getting worse as people are not taking any responsibility for their actions. It's a very serious matter that needs action not long speeches.”

Arjen Mehr

Leamington Spa-based prominent retailer Sunder Sandher believes sentencing remains one of the biggest frustrations.

"Government judiciary guidelines should be stricter,” he said. "Offenders have a list of shoplifting offences and the bench is guided the offender sit in court half a day and get a clean slate, which is absolutely ridiculous.”

Sandher called for longer custodial sentences for persistent repeat offenders, presumptive custody after multiple shoplifting convictions, stronger treatment of organized retail crime gangs, mandatory retail exclusion orders banning offenders from certain stores or shopping centres, greater weight given to the impact on retail workers and small businesses and faster prosecution and sentencing of prolific offenders.

The glaring gap

More than two months after masked burglars emptied his store of cigarettes and vapes, Selvaratnam is still waiting for meaningful progress on a crime that cost his business around £25,000.

Despite the setback, Selvaratnam’s position on crime reporting “hasn't changed in principle” though he now understands why some retailers choose not to report.

“Reporting crime is still the right thing to do. If no one reports it, the problem stays invisible.

"But in reality, I understand why many retailers don't bother, time is the biggest constraint. Running a business is already demanding, and reporting low-level incidents like shoplifting often leads nowhere,” he said.

What retailers want and expect from police is “responsiveness and visibility”, Selvaratnam explained.

"First, basic follow-through. Acknowledging reports, issuing crime reference numbers, and keeping victims updated shouldn't be optional; it's the bare minimum. If that's missing, trust breaks down immediately.

"Second, visible action. Retailers need to see that reporting leads somewhere, whether that's increased patrols, repeat offender tracking, or coordinated action in known hotspots.

"Right now, there's a disconnect. Businesses report crime, but they don't see outcomes. That gap is what's eroding confidence,” he said.

The debate around retail crime here is less about statistics and more about trust.

As police point to improving statistics and retailers point to what they see every day behind the counter, this gap remains one of the biggest challenges in the fight against retail crime.