Crime map shows areas most affected by shoplifting surge

AS “Kamikaze” shoplifting sweeps Britain, a crime map has revealed the Surrey high streets most plagued by the retail theft “epidemic”.

- By RICHARD AULT @SurreyLive

Police in England and Wales recorded more than 500,000 shoplifting offences last year, a huge 20% surge on the previous year and the highest number since records began more than 20 years ago.

The number includes 6,815 shoplifting crimes recorded by Surrey Police, a 34% increase.

More than one in two retail workers (56%) say they have witnessed so-called “Kamikaze” shoplifting - thefts that take place in plain sight - in their workplaces. Around one in eight (13%) say it is a daily occurrence, while more than a third (37%) see it happening at least once a week, according to research from workplace operations and improvement platform SafetyCulture.

The British Independent Retail Association (Bira) has described the rise in Kamikaze shoplifting as a “tipping point.” Bira says it shows some criminals believe they can “walk into a shop, take what they want in full view of staff and customers, and walk out knowing there will be no consequences”.

At the same time, security firms are reporting a “massive increase in pensioners shoplifting”, driven by cost-of-living pressures.

John Nussbaum, director of service for retail at security services provider Kingdom Service, told PA News: “For us over the last 12 months, we've got this different level of crime now.

“We're now experiencing something different - pensioners, people who don’t normally shoplift.”

Hyperlocal police figures have now revealed the city and town centres most plagued by theft.