Shoplifters are escaping justice at an alarming rate, with more than 800 thefts from shops going unsolved every day across England and Wales, according to an analysis of police data. That means almost one store theft every minute during typical opening hours.
The figures show that 295,589 shoplifting offences recorded so far this year have been closed without a suspect being identified, driven by a sharp rise in reported thefts. Since 2019/20, the number of unsolved cases has increased by 65%.
The Liberal Democrats, who commissioned the analysis, are urging a nationwide rollout of CCTV in corner shops, backed by a government grant and loan scheme. They argue that better surveillance would help deter crime and speed up investigations.
Ministers say they are stepping up action through increased neighbourhood policing and targeted enforcement operations, while the Labour government has pledged to tackle what it has described as an “epidemic” of shoplifting that is costing retailers billions of pounds a year. Despite these assurances, theft across England and Wales continues to rise, leaving shop owners and staff to bear the consequences of routine lawlessness.
