Updated April 2026England & Walestrending_down -4.4% year-on-year

Shoplifting Statistics UK 2026

England and Wales recorded 463,244 shoplifting incidents in the last 12 months — a rate of 7.5 per 1,000 residents. The highest rate is in Dartford at 31.5 per 1,000.

Data Sources:Police.ukONS Census 2021HM Land Registry

463,244

12-Month Total

England & Wales

7.5

Annual Rate

per 1,000 residents

-4.4%

Year-on-Year

vs previous 12 months

Dartford

Highest Rate

31.5 per 1k

24-Month National Trend

Highest Shoplifting Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#	City / Town	Rate	YoY
1	Dartford Kent	31.5	-1.1%
2	Middlesbrough	26.3	+1.9%
3	Stockton-on-Tees	25.3	+18.9%
4	Eastbourne East Sussex	23.2	-2.3%
5	Reading	23.2	+8.3%
6	Islington Inner London	21.5	+0.4%
7	Hartlepool	20.8	-11.8%
8	Ipswich Suffolk	20.6	+18.1%
9	Hastings East Sussex	19.9	+27.1%
10	Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear	19.0	-11.3%

Lowest Shoplifting Rates

Annual rate per 1,000 residents

#	City / Town	Rate	YoY
1	Tewkesbury Gloucestershire	0.1	-99.5%
2	Cotswold Gloucestershire	0.1	-98.1%
3	Cheltenham Gloucestershire	0.1	-99.4%
4	Gloucester Gloucestershire	0.1	-99.5%
5	Richmondshire	0.7	+3.9%
6	Ryedale	1.1	-30.5%
7	Staffordshire Moorlands Staffordshire	1.1	-0.9%
8	Craven	1.2	-10.0%
9	Maldon Essex	1.3	-2.2%
10	Mid Suffolk Suffolk	1.4	-4.8%

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

map View on Crime Map leaderboard National Rankings insights Monthly Report

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 2026-04, 463,244 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

Dartford has the highest shoplifting rate at 31.5 per 1,000 residents annually.

Is shoplifting increasing or decreasing in England and Wales? expand_more

Shoplifting has decreased by 4.4% compared to the same period last year.

Which UK city has the lowest shoplifting rate? expand_more

Mid Suffolk records the lowest shoplifting rate among UK cities at 1.4 per 1,000 residents.

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