Nearly 290,000 UK Shoplifting Cases Close Without Suspect

In 2024-25, nearly 290,000 shoplifting cases in England and Wales were closed without identifying a suspect, representing 55.5% of investigations and marking an 18% increase from the previous year, with an average of 793 cases unsolved daily. Only 18.3% of shoplifting offences resulted in charges, with the Metropolitan Police performing worst—closing 76.9% of its 93,705 cases without a suspect and charging just 5.9%. Overall, shoplifting offences rose to a record 530,643 that year, a 20% increase from 444,022 in 2023-24, signaling a worsening retail crime epidemic. Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds criticized police for failing to address the crisis and condemned comments by Thames Valley's Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber urging the public to intervene, calling it reckless and dangerous. The government has pledged to increase neighborhood policing and introduce tougher laws targeting thefts under £200 and assaults on retail workers. These figures highlight growing concerns about law enforcement effectiveness amidst rising shoplifting incidents across England and Wales.