Starmer says ‘tide could be turning’ on shoplifting in England and Wales | Crime

Keir Starmer said the tide could be turning on shoplifting, pointing to a 17% rise in the number of people charged in what has become a hot political issue.

The prime minister said CCTV footage, which can be shared instantly with police, should be used more widely, adding that the “hope of technology” could make a difference.

Official figures last year revealed annual burglary crimes in England and Wales surpassed half a million for the first time.

“It’s a shame that people who just work in their shops have to face abuse from customers,” Starmer told a conference of the Usdaw union, which represents shop workers.

The Labor leader, whose government is trying to introduce a new crime of assaulting a retail worker, added: “It’s a shame that people are feeling sick thinking about how they’re going to get through the day, and it’s a shame that people’s lives and livelihoods are being ruined by constant shoplifting.”

Starmer highlighted the government’s decision to scrap the “ridiculous regulation” under which stolen goods worth less than £200 will not be properly investigated.

“I’m not blind to how big this challenge is, but the number of people charged has increased by 17%,” he said, referring to figures published last week.

“In the latest statistics Shoplifting is down. There’s only a slight decline, but the tide may be turning. Technology also has hope because in some parts of the country police and retailers are using technology that instantly sends CCTV footage to police.”

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show a 1% drop in police-recorded burglaries in 2025, but recent clarifications on counting rules mean they cannot be directly compared to 2024. The Home Office told police forces last year that cases where violence was used or threatened should instead be counted as burglaries of commercial property. Combined shoplifting and business robbery crimes increased by 1% in 2025.

Conservatives accused Starmer of “arrogant cheek” and claimed he was “part of the problem, not the solution”.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said shoplifting had risen by 8 per cent under the Labor government and had worsened as police numbers fell to 1,300 last year.

“Starmer abolishes prison sentences [a] “This means almost no thief will go to jail,” he added.

33 per cent of people in the UK have witnessed shoplifting in the last 12 months latest YouGov pollBut young people do not see this as a serious crime, and the public is divided over whether it is acceptable for a starving person to steal food from a store.

Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas said retail crime remained at very high levels, adding: “Whilst there has been a small reduction in shoplifting over the past year, the reality is that retail crime remains a significant problem for the industry and particularly for staff.”

He said the government’s investment in policing and funding for more uniformed officers in shopping areas was starting to pay off, and he reiterated that retailers welcomed the police bill, which reclassifies crime and theft and introduces tougher protections for retail staff.

Thomas added: “Usdaw’s latest research has found that this is by no means a victimless crime, with two-thirds of attacks on retail workers triggered by burglary or armed robbery. Dealing with repeated and persistent offending can cause problems beyond theft, such as anxiety, fear and physical harm to retail workers.”

Ed Woodall, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said the ACS strongly welcomed the bill and said it would “help reset the narrative around shoplifting”.

“Retailers tell us the most effective deterrent is a police presence in communities, but it is crucial that we see action taken to break the cycle of re-offending by prolific thieves when an incident occurs,” he added.

The Co-op also backed the government’s focus on the issue, saying it could turn the tide and see crime levels on its premises fall by more than 20% by 2025.

Paul Gerrard, the Co-op’s director of campaigns, PR and policy, said: “Local shops are a mainstay for communities and we must all continue to do what we can to protect them and those who work in them.”