- Shoplifting offences in the UK reached a record high in 2024, surpassing 500,000 for the first time, marking a 20% increase from the previous year.
- Katy Bourne, the national lead for shoplifting at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, stated that some shoplifters act with impunity and called for more robust police interventions and meaningful criminal justice measures.
- Ms Bourne announced that Sussex will trial an electronic tagging scheme for persistent shoplifters and expressed approval for the rollout of live facial recognition cameras in police vans.
- Assistant Chief Constable Jon Cummins of Avon and Somerset Police suggested wider societal issues like poverty and the cost-of-living crisis contribute to the rise in shoplifting.
- Both policing chiefs cautioned the public against intervening directly with shoplifters, while Iceland supermarket announced a 1 reward for customers who report offenders to staff.
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