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, … Continue reading 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