Shoplifting surges 20% in England & Wales so Labour promises to increase police numbers by 2% to be still more than 20% below staffing level in Scotland where shoplifting is less common






Professor John Robertson OBA





BBC Breakfast this morning report a 20% increase in shoplifting in England & Wales, to  530 643 offences in year to March 2025 but the Home Secretary only offer a 2% increase in [3 000] police officer numbers of 147 746 in 20241. They think, [correctly ?], that most will just think, ‘3 000? Big number?’





Shoplifting in Scotland in 2024/2025, increased 16% to 44 730 offences2.





Per head, all things being equal, you’d expect England and Wales to have around 11 times as many shoplifting offences as Scotland, 492 030, but they had 530 643, 38 613 or 7.8% more. Not a huge percentage difference perhaps but imagine BBC Scotland if it was the other way round?





There are 241 police officers per head of population in England & Wales3 and 2954, 22.4% more in Scotland.





Sources:





    

  1. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn00634/
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  2. https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202500454372/
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  3. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024
    4. 




  4. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn00634/
    5. 


			


	



					



	
			

			9 thoughts on “Shoplifting surges 20% in England & Wales  so Labour promises to increase police numbers by 2% to be still more than 20% below staffing level in Scotland where shoplifting is less common”		


		
    
					
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    I feel that shoplifting has very little to do with numbers of police on patrol in our shopping centres. I believe that it is a marker of how the poorest in our society are being squeezed by the dire cost of living increases we are all suffering under. When these pressures are alleviated then I’m sure, that only the professionals, will continue with this activity. 
    

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      Some of it’s organised gangs in England who just walk into shops, no doubt the smaller businesses, and take what they like no cops to stop them. At least that’s what my neighbours were saying who read the English daily’s…
      

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    Yep and the Co-op and now Waterstones (yep!) are imposing loan working for staff…one staff member to do all jobs in one big shop, and stop thieves at same time. There’s been petitions about it I think. Saving money, but so backward an idea, as well as putting staff at risk.
    

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    Cutting welfare and increasing the Police. More expensive. Labour getting the priorities wrong again. Cheating, lying Labour. Can’t get anything right. Except more right wing. 
    

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    More items are taken by staff than shoplifters. Retailers making vast profits, paying no tax and tax evading. Getting away with it. People starving. 
    

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