a 'severe underestimation'

Responding to these comments, a police spokesperson said: “We're aware of the impact that shoplifting can have on businesses and officers are continuing to work with local businesses and partnerships across the force area to identify areas where there are repeated victims and repeated offenders.

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Any businesses who are victims of theft are encouraged to pass on information to police as and when they occur, so we are able to build a full picture of the offences taking place.”

Hardy explained how the crime impacted his store financially. He said: “My profit depends on me selling every product when I buy it in bulk, but when the items get stolen, even if it’s one or two of something, then I’m no longer making a profit. It happens a lot in this area. There are just too many shoplifters to deal with.”

Usdaw said that incidents of shoplifting had now more than doubled since the pandemic and, for the first time, topped half-a-million offences nationwide in a year (see below).