A whole lot of shoplifting instances have gone unsolved every single day, with the variety of unsolved incidents rising by greater than 40,000 over the previous 12 months.
New figures present that 289,464 instances of shoplifting have been shut by police and not using a suspect in England and Wales within the 12 months to March 2025, in line with Home of Commons library evaluation.
Of all shoplifting instances, greater than half (55%) have been closed and not using a suspect recognized, whereas fewer than one in 5 (18%) led to somebody being charged.
Politics newest: Ministers announce new measures to clear asylum backlog
The information reveals the variety of instances closed and not using a suspect has additionally risen considerably on the earlier 12 months, with 245,337 instances shut by police forces and not using a suspect being recognized in 2023-24, an increase of greater than 40,000.
The evaluation, produced for the Liberal Democrats, means that on common, 793 shoplifting offences went unsolved every single day.
What else does the info present?
The information coated all police forces in England and Wales, apart from Humberside, but in addition included the British Transport Police.
It revealed the Metropolitan Police had the worst report, with 76.9% of its 93,705 shoplifting instances being closed with no person recognized as a suspect. Simply 5.9% of shoplifting incidents recorded within the capital and the broader area resulted in a cost.
Whereas the info has proven the variety of unsolved instances is on the rise, it additionally revealed that the full variety of shoplifting offences has elevated dramatically, too.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
3:10
Can we ship too many individuals to jail?
In 2023-24, 444,022 instances of shoplifting have been recorded. However in 2024-25, this rose to 530,643, a report excessive because the apply of recording the info nationally started in 2002-03.
Total, 2,071,156 offences of all kinds went unsolved within the 2024-25 12 months. This implies, on common every day, 5,674 crimes have been dedicated that went on to be closed and not using a suspect. Solely 7.3% of all crimes recorded resulted in anyone being charged or summoned.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
1:06
Greggs shoplifter caught
The Lib Dems have repeated their requires police and crime commissioners – elected politicians who’ve authority over every police power – to be scrapped. They consider the cash spent on these could be higher invested in frontline policing, and that police boards, made up of native councillors and different people, may substitute them.
Lisa Sensible, the social gathering’s house affairs spokesperson, stated that the info reveals an “absolute scandal” as a result of it reveals that “thousands of innocent victims are being left without the justice they deserve” every single day.
She added: “The previous Conservative government left behind a legacy of failure, but the Labour government has not been quick enough to address the unsolved crime epidemic – particularly as shoplifting spirals out of control.”
Picture:
Residence affairs spokesperson Lisa Sensible, with social gathering chief, Sir Ed Davey. Pic: PA
Tories: There ought to be a ‘zero tolerance strategy’ to shoplifting
In the meantime, the shadow house secretary identified that shoplifting has risen by 20% beneath Labour, and that ministers present “no signs of gripping it”.
He has referred to as for a “zero tolerance approach” and the better use of know-how, equivalent to facial recognition know-how, in order that “Labour’s shoplifting epidemic can be stopped”.
Earlier this month, Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper introduced a big growth of the usage of facial recognition tech by police forces in England and Wales, with 10 new vans being rolled out – although the transfer was criticised by civil liberties teams.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
11:15
Jenrick slams justice system shake-up
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, stated the “damning stats explain why Britain feels lawless”.
The federal government has defended the proposals to largely finish the usage of shorter sentences, as really helpful by the impartial sentencing assessment, carried out earlier this 12 months by former Conservative justice secretary David Gauke.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated: “Without further action, we will run out of prison places in months, courts would halt trials and the police [would] cancel arrests. That is why we are overhauling sentencing to make sure we always have the prison places needed to keep the country safe.”
