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Updated March 2026England & Walestrending_down -4.9% year-on-year

Shoplifting Statistics UK 2026

England and Wales recorded 460,663 shoplifting incidents in the last 12 months — a rate of 7.5 per 1,000 residents. The highest rate is in Hartlepool at 30.9 per 1,000.

Data Sources:Police.ukONS Census 2021HM Land Registry

460,663

12-Month Total

England & Wales

7.5

Annual Rate

per 1,000 residents

-4.9%

Year-on-Year

vs previous 12 months

Hartlepool

Highest Rate

30.9 per 1k

24-Month National Trend

Highest Shoplifting Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#City / TownRateYoY
1Hartlepool
30.9
 +0.9%
2Eastbourne

East Sussex

29.8
 +12.4%
3Dartford

Kent

28.3
 +0.6%
4Hastings

East Sussex

25.5
 +13.2%
5Middlesbrough
23.0
 +7.7%
6Lincoln

Lincolnshire

22.7
 +9.4%
7Ipswich

Suffolk

22.3
 +7.1%
8Reading
21.2
 +8.0%
9Stockton-on-Tees
20.4
 +12.8%
10Southampton
19.0
 +1.0%

Lowest Shoplifting Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#City / TownRateYoY
1Newport
0.1
 -99.7%
2Richmondshire
0.9
 -8.3%
3West Devon

Devon

1.1
 +5.4%
4Maldon

Essex

1.3
 +20.3%
5North Warwickshire

Warwickshire

1.3
 +6.9%
6Staffordshire Moorlands

Staffordshire

1.4
 -12.0%
7Ceredigion
1.7
 +13.1%
8Copeland
1.7
—
9Hambleton
1.8
 +4.4%
10Derbyshire Dales

Derbyshire

2.3
 -17.8%

What is Shoplifting?

Shoplifting covers theft of goods from a shop or retail premises, recorded under the Theft Act 1968. England and Wales record over 400,000 shoplifting offences annually, though the true figure is significantly higher as many incidents go unreported. Retail crime has increased markedly since 2022, driven by cost-of-living pressures and organised retail crime gangs. The British Retail Consortium estimates retail theft costs UK businesses over £1.8 billion annually.

Data source: Police.uk (Open Government Licence v3.0) · Methodology

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Other Crime Types

Anti-Social Behaviour Bicycle Theft Burglary Criminal Damage And Arson Drugs Other Crime Other Theft Possession Of Weapons Public Order Robbery Theft From The Person Vehicle Crime Violence And Sexual Offences

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shoplifting incidents are recorded in England and Wales each year? expand_more
In the 12 months to 2026-03, 460,663 shoplifting incidents were recorded in England and Wales — a rate of 7.5 per 1,000 residents.
Which city has the highest shoplifting rate in the UK? expand_more
Hartlepool has the highest shoplifting rate at 30.9 per 1,000 residents annually.
Is shoplifting increasing or decreasing in England and Wales? expand_more
Shoplifting has decreased by 4.9% compared to the same period last year.
Which UK city has the lowest shoplifting rate? expand_more
Derbyshire Dales records the lowest shoplifting rate among UK cities at 2.3 per 1,000 residents.

Data: Police.uk (OGL v3.0) · Population: ONS Census 2021 · Methodology · Editorial Standards