Kelsey, now 22, began shoplifting at 14 to fund a drug addiction. She has served seven prison sentences but says offenders are increasingly getting away with theft. Official figures show that while shoplifting offences in England rose by nearly 23% between 2013 and 2017, arrests dropped by 17% and charges fell by 25% across 27 police forces.
The 2014 Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act defined low-value shoplifting (under £200) as a summary offence, leading many forces to stop investigating such thefts. Offenders can plead guilty by post and only attend court if they deny the charge. Kelsey says she continued stealing knowing she would receive only short sentences, often suspended.
Paul Cheema, who owns two convenience stores in Coventry, says losses from shoplifting forced him to close a third store. 'Some weeks we were losing £1,000 worth of stock,' he said. He has increased investment in CCTV and tagging expensive items. Chris Noice from the Association of Convenience Stores notes that thefts are rising and often escalate to violence when thieves are challenged.
Surrey Police saw a 69% drop in shoplifting arrests and a 46% drop in charges from 2013 to 2017. A spokesperson cited increased demand and financial challenges. The Metropolitan Police's charges nearly halved, from 9,596 in 2013 to 5,252 in 2017. Sgt Rob Harris, who polices Oxford Street, says his team uses street cautions instead of arrests to manage limited resources.
