Latest figures showing huge increase in retail crime ‘truly shocking’ says North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner

British Retail Consortium (BRC) has released figures showing a dramatic increase in both theft and violence against retail workers across the UK.

According to the latest crime survey, incidents of abuse and theft have sharply risen, with daily occurrences reaching 1,300 in the year 2022/23, up from 870 the previous year.

This upsurge comes despite significant investment in crime prevention by retailers, totaling £1.2bn—a substantial rise from £722m the previous year.

These investments include advanced security measures such as CCTV, additional security personnel, and body-worn cameras.

However, the cost of theft alone has surged to £1.8bn, contributing to a total crime cost of £3.3bn, effectively doubling the financial burden on retailers compared to the previous year.

The BRC’s annual survey emphasises the distressing level of violence and abuse retail workers face, including racial abuse, sexual harassment, physical assault, and threats with weapons.

Such incidents have reached levels comparable to those experienced during the height of the pandemic, highlighting a persistent and troubling trend.

With 60% of retail respondents rating the police response to incidents as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, there is growing dissatisfaction within the sector regarding law enforcement’s handling of these issues.

In response, there are widespread calls for the government to introduce a standalone offence for assaulting, threatening, or abusing retail workers, akin to legislation already in place in Scotland.

Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the BRC, expressed grave concern over the escalating violence and abuse, stating that the government cannot continue to overlook the safety of retail workers.

She emphasised that the impact of these crimes extends beyond the immediate victims, affecting their families, friends, and colleagues.

In support of stronger measures, Katy Bourne OBE, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner and APCC Lead for Business Crime, highlighted the unprecedented level of retail crime and the need for more efficient court processes and deterrents against shoplifting.

Ms Bourne’s call for prioritising shoplifting in local Police & Crime Plans underscores the critical need for a coordinated response to this growing crisis.

The North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: “These figures from the British Retail Consortium that incidents against staff have risen by 50% in a year and thefts have doubled are truly shocking.”

“Shop assistants and colleagues have a right to go to work and feel safe, and business owners have a right to know that the police are there for them if the worst happens.”

“North Wales Police, with my full support, introduced the ‘We Don’t Buy Crime’ campaign last year and officers are active in the community in advising businesses on how to make their premises and operations more secure, and ensuring goods and property can be marked, making it harder for them to be sold on.”

“More widely, we also need to look at the social reasons behind this rise and how we can ensure that offenders are dissuaded from causing further crime.”

“This means a collaborative and whole systems approach with the Police, alongside commissioned and support services, which is at the heart of my co-operative plan for fighting crime in North Wales.”