The number of shop thefts recorded by the police in England and Wales has reached a new high, with 529.994 incidents tallied by the Office for National Statistics over the 12 months to June 2025.
The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales, published today (23rd October 2025), has shown that in the 12 months to June 2025, there were 529,994 recorded shoplifting offences compared to 469,698 in the previous year. This is an increase of 13%.
The last ONS publication on shop theft figures earlier this year showed a 12-month increase of 20%, so the rate of that increase is beginning to slow. However, the number of offences continues the trend of ONS crime outputs showing the highest ever recorded figures since current recording practices began in 2003.
Whilst overall theft offences recorded by police have decreased by 4 per cent, the sharp rise in shoplifting - alongside a 5 per cent increase in theft from the person to 145,860 offences - demonstrates that retail crime continues to surge. These sharp rises since the pandemic show no sign of abating.
However, leading retailers association Bira's crime survey shows the vast majority of crimes now go unreported which is 91 per cent of physical abuse incidents and 47 per cent of thefts because retailers have lost faith in police response.
When incidents are reported, only 16.7 per cent 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 per cent of incidents according to Bira members.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said, "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."
Bira said it will continue to monitor crime figures through its bi-annual crime survey of independent retailers and will be presenting these findings to the Home Office, police forces, and policymakers across the UK, calling for sustained action to protect Britain's high streets.