Shoplifting up 35 percent in Wiltshire

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that shoplifting soared across the South West in 2023 - including by 35 percent in Wiltshire.

However, that increase is the lowest among police force areas in the region, with Devon and Cornwall seeing a 37 percent increase, Gloucestershire 42 percent, Dorset 45 percent and Avon and Somerset 48 percent.

The increase across the region as a whole was 43 percent, and in the whole of England and Wales 37 percent, taking shoplifting to its highest level in 20 years.

The figures prompted an angry response from shopworkers' union Usdaw, whose 2023 survey of 5,500 members found that 60 percent had suffered incidents of violence, threats and abuse that were triggered by shoplifting and armed robbery.

Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers. 

"Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers. This 43 percent increase in shoplifting across the South West is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.

“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in the stores and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. 

"Our latest survey results show that seven in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence."

Mr Lillis said 60 percent of respondents said theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents, and added: “The scale of assaults, abuse and threats towards shopworkers and extent of the retail crime epidemic has been a disgrace for many years. 

"This has been made worse by police cuts and a failure to legislate to protect retail staff. Usdaw has long called for action that includes a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker and that has been vehemently opposed by this Government and their Conservative MPs on many occasions.

“Recently the Government performed a long overdue U-turn after many years of sustained campaigning by Usdaw and others. Our members have had to wait too long for their voices to be heard and common sense to prevail. 

"We will have to see the detail of what Ministers are proposing and we are clear that it must be at least what we won in Scotland three years ago. It also cannot fall short of Labour’s commitments to 13,000 more uniformed officers, patrols on high streets, banning repeat offenders and ending the perverse £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters.

“The dither and delay by this Government on this issue over many years, has led to thousands of shopworkers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury. Today’s stats should ensure that their promise to legislate is done speedily. 

"We hope that whatever the Government is proposing will be substantial and effective in giving shopworkers, key workers in every community, the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”