A total of 430,104 offences were logged by forces last year.
The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has risen to the highest level in 20 years.
A total of 430,104 offences were logged by forces last year, up more than a third (37%) on the 315,040 recorded in the previous 12 months to December 2022.
The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which described the latest increase as “notable”.
The data published on Thursday comes after major retailers raised concerns about the rising cost of theft.
The figures also show the number of offences involving theft from the person stood at 125,563 in 2023, up 18% from 106,606 in 2022 and is the highest level since 2004 (137,154).
The number of robberies recorded rose by 13% last year to 81,094, up from 71,983 in 2022 – although this is still 26% lower than the year ending March 2003 (110,271).
Meanwhile, crimes involving knives or sharp instruments stood at 49,489 in 2023, up 7% from 46,153 in 2022, but 3% lower than the pre-pandemic total of 51,206 offences in the year ending March 2020.
But this set of figures does not include offences recorded by Greater Manchester Police and Devon & Cornwall Police, due to problems recording data.
Nick Stripe, from the ONS, said: “In the past 12 months, police recorded crime shows notable increases in robbery, theft from the person and shoplifting.
“The latter has risen by more than 100,000 offences, while the police have been dealing with the highest levels of theft from the person offences recorded in two decades.”
Police-recorded shoplifting offences in England and Wales jump 37%
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25.04.2024
A total of 430,104 offences were logged by forces last year.
The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has risen to the highest level in 20 years.
A total of 430,104 offences were logged by forces last year, up more than a third (37%) on the 315,040 recorded in the previous 12 months to December 2022.
The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March........
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