Darlington's shoplifting cases doubled from 56 in 2022 to 116 in 2024, attributed to public service cuts, organized crime, court backlogs, and prison capacity.
Police data reveals Darlington's shoplifting cases have more than doubled, with 116 cases in April 2024 compared to 56 in April 2022. Insp. Jim O'Connor attributes the rise to factors such as cuts to public services, organised criminal groups, court backlogs, and prison capacity. Shoplifting cases surged after the pandemic and started to stabilize recently. Charity shops like St Teresa's Hospice and Oxfam are also experiencing regular theft incidents.
June 20, 2024
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