The retail sector has welcomed a dip in recorded shop theft offences, but the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned thieves are becoming increasingly violent as robberies surge, according to new data.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recorded a 2% fall in shoplifting offences to 519,516 for the year ending June 2026, down from 530,336 the previous year.
ACS has warned, however, that part of this drop – alongside a 10% spike in robberies to 88,282 offences – has been driven by police now logging thefts involving or threatening violence as a robbery of business property.
The ONS said: “If an offender enters a retail premises, steals, and either uses or threatens violence against a shop worker, or security guard, or any other person at the time, or uses or threatens violence to escape, then an offence of robbery of business property should be recorded. This clarification is likely to also have had a small effect on reducing the number of shoplifting offences.”
While ACS has welcomed the change in recording, as it means the offences will be treated more seriously by forces and face tougher penalties, it has urged caution over claims that theft is falling overall, with offenders becoming more brazen and violent in their crimes.
ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: “We are extremely concerned about the changing nature of theft against retailers. Offenders are becoming more confident, more brazen, and ultimately more violent in their crimes, threatening retailers and shopworkers to get away with stolen goods.”
The British Retail Consortium also expressed concern that progress on tackling shop theft was “still too slow”.
“Theft is not a victimless crime,” said crime policy advisor Lucy Whing. “It fuels violence against shopworkers, and adds costs that ultimately hit shoppers’ pockets. With 1,600 incidents of violence or abuse against retail workers every day, the human toll remains unacceptable.”
Both trade bodies also stressed that while the Crime and Policing Act marked a big step forward for the sector, its protections for retailers have still not come into force, despite it receiving Royal Assent in April, including scrapping the £200 threshold for investigating thefts and the separate offence for attacking a shopworker.
“The Crime and Policing Act granted police new powers to intervene and prosecute offenders, including a long-overdue offence of assaulting a retail worker,” said Whing. “Yet six months after the new law passed, these protections have still not come into force. Retail workers face abuse every day – their safety must not be the price of government inaction.
“A nationwide week of action against retail crime begins on 9 November, bringing together police, retailers and government in a united effort to tackle offending. Ministers should seize the moment to announce the commencement date for these new protections, giving retail workers the reassurance they need and sending a clear message that violence and theft on our streets will not be tolerated.”
Woodall added: “The government must act as soon as possible to show that it backs the hardworking people running and working in our nation’s local shops.”
No comments yet