Shoplifting offenses hit a record high in England and Wales, up 20% to 516,971 in 2024.

Police in England and Wales recorded a record 516,971 shoplifting offenses in 2024, marking a 20% increase from 2023. Shoplifting and theft from the person drove the total number of theft offenses to 1.8 million, up 1% from the previous year. Despite a rise in knife crime and shoplifting, homicides fell to their lowest level in a decade, with 535 cases reported.