800 shoplifting cases going unsolved a day as police chiefs accused of “passing the buck” to the public

EMBARGO: 00.01 Monday 25th August

• New figures reveal scale of shoplifting epidemic facing the country with 18% rise in offences going unsolved
• Thames Valley Police sees fewer than one in five shoplifters convicted as local Tory Police Crime and Commissioner says it’s up to public to stop thieves
• Liberal Democrat MP and former retail worker Joshua Reynolds says “senior police chiefs should be protecting us, not passing the buck to the public”

Almost 800 shoplifting cases a day went unsolved in England and Wales last year, shocking figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed, up 18% on the previous year.

The House of Commons Library research shows a total of 289,464 shoplifting investigations were closed with no suspect identified in 2024-25, up from 245,337 the previous year. This is equivalent to 793 shoplifting cases going unsolved a day.

Over half (55%) of investigations into shoplifting offences carried out by police ended with no suspect being identified. Meanwhile fewer than one in five (18%) shoplifting cases reported to the police led to a suspect being charged.

This revelation comes after the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley said it was up to the public to ‘challenge’ shoplifters in their community instead of relying on police officers.  Local Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead Joshua Reynolds said the comments were “reckless and dangerous” and accused police chiefs of trying to “pass the buck” to the public for tackling shoplifting offences.

Thames Valley Police force had a conviction rate of just 17%, firmly below the national average. London Metropolitan Police had a conviction rate of only 1 in 20 (6%) for shoplifting offences, the lowest rate in the country.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners so that resources can be properly allocated according to communities’ needs.

Responding to these figures, Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead and former retail worker Joshua Reynolds MP said:

“These shameful figures show that the police are failing to crack down on the shoplifting epidemic facing our country.

“The suggestion by a Conservative police chief that it’s up to the public to stop shoplifters was both reckless and dangerous. I’ve worked in retail so I know what it feels like to have to confront shoplifters - it’s frightening and it’s dangerous.

“Senior police chiefs should be protecting us, not passing the buck to the public. It’s time for the government to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and invest the money in frontline policing instead. That way we can get more bobbies on the beat and stop this lawlessness on our high streets."

ENDS

Police theft data: Shoplifting Statistics

Thames Valley Police and Crime commissioner Matthew Barber’s comments can be found here.

Joshua Reynolds worked at a UK supermarket retail chain as a manager for 3 years between 2020 and 2023.