London, England – The number of unsolved shoplifting cases has reached a five-year high, sparking concerns over a “crime epidemic” in the city. According to recent analysis of Home Office data by the Liberal Democrats, over 200,000 reports of shoplifting went unsolved in the year ending July 2023. This equates to an average of 560 unsolved cases per day.
The research also revealed that the number of unsolved shoplifting cases has increased by a third since last year, and a separate study by the Labour Party found that only one in 200 crimes was solved by police over the last 12 months. This surge in shoplifting has led retail bosses to claim that the offense has been effectively decriminalized.
Police chiefs have pushed back against demands by the government to respond to every report, arguing that this is not feasible. As a result, some shop owners have turned to private security to address the issue. However, the Liberal Democrats criticized the government for failing to address the “growing crime epidemic,” particularly in light of the reduction in community support officers since 2015.
According to the analysis, only 15% of shoplifting cases in the last year resulted in a suspect being charged or summoned, down from 19% in 2019. This has led to concerns that organized criminal gangs are evading justice while leaving shopkeepers vulnerable.
Meanwhile, the heads of major retailers met with the policing minister after warning that criminals were threatening staff with weapons and emptying stores. One of the measures announced by the minister was a new police team to crack down on shoplifting with £30,000 of government funding, which critics argue amounts to only 7p per offense.
Overall, the surge in shoplifting cases, the inability to address the issue effectively, and the lack of court appearances for offenders has raised significant concerns within the community. The Labour Party has proposed fast-tracking the recruitment of detectives to address the shortfall of 7,000 experienced officers. The Home Office has been approached for comment on the matter.