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Police to target 500 chronic shoplifters in retail crime crackdown in England and Wales
Police in England and Wales will target 500 prolific shoplifters in a crackdown intended to reduce repeated theft and improve safety for retailers and staff. The programme will involve up to 17 forces and aims to secure stronger sentences, while the government says it will also address addiction and other causes of offending.
Measures include GPS tagging, high street and town centre bans, and intensive supervision courts, backed by £2.5m in extra funding. Shoplifting recorded by police exceeded 500,000 offences in 2024, a record, before falling by 2% last year; in Bromley, a targeted operation against 10 people was linked to a 70% drop in recorded retail crime.
In short
- Police will focus on 500 repeat shoplifters.
- Up to 17 forces will receive support from £2.5m funding.
- The plan combines enforcement with help to address causes of offending.