Labour was accused of giving ‘free rein’ to criminals on Thursday as shoplifting, muggings and fraud hit the highest levels since records began.
Shock figures reveal Britain is in the grip of a ‘retail crime epidemic’ with one theft recorded every minute for the first time in history.
Shoplifting levels have doubled since the pandemic and rocketed by 20 per cent since the Government came into power last year.
At the same time, street muggings for mobile phones and handbags have spiralled, with a 15 per cent rise in personal theft to a record 151,220 offences.
Critics accused Keir Starmer of ushering in a soft justice crimewave after releasing thousands of thieves early from prisons at a time of falling police numbers. Police chiefs are warning of more cuts to come due to a lack of funding.
Office for National Statistics figures show that shoplifting hit a record high of 530,643 offences reported to police in the year to March, a 20 per cent increase on the last year’s total of 444,022.
That equates to more than 10,000 thefts a week, or 1,454 a day, which is the highest level since records began in 2003.
The Mail has campaigned for police to crackdown on shoplifting, with the British Retail Consortium calculating retailers are losing £2.2billion a year.
Labour was accused of giving ‘free rein’ to criminals on Thursday as shoplifting, muggings and fraud hit the highest levels since records began (pictured: Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday)
A masked gang member uses an angle grinder to steal a bike at an IKEA car park in Croydon this week. Shock figures reveal Britain is in the grip of a ‘retail crime epidemic’
But police figures are thought to represent just 5 per cent of thefts. Most shops only report when they catch an offender in the act or have evidence such as CCTV.
At the same time, fraud has also exploded by 31 per cent with an unprecedented 4.2million offences recorded last year.
ONS data also shows that around one in eight women were victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the year to March.
Overall, crime is up seven per cent in a year which has also seen national police numbers fall by 1,300, separate official figures show. It is estimated that there were 9.4million incidents of crime in the year to March, up from 8.8million.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: ‘Under Labour, crime is up 7 per cent, shoplifting has surged by 20 per cent, and under Labour’s London Mayor, over 60 per cent of all personal thefts now happen in the capital.
‘In government, the Conservatives cut crime by over 50 per cent, the direct result of record officer numbers, record funding, and real powers to keep the public safe.’
David Spencer, head of crime and justice at the Policy Exchange think tank said: ‘There is a property crimewave going on, driven by a failure on the part of police, the Government and the criminal justice system to take these matters seriously.
‘There needs to be a clear message that if you commit a crime you are going to prison.’
A thief steals a phone from a woman walking down a road in London’s exclusive Mayfair area
Earlier this month, Yvette Cooper announced plans for extra officers to be deployed in 500 towns in a blitz on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: ‘Offenders are being given free rein, acting with a complete confidence they will not be apprehended.’
He pointed to the disparity between offences recorded by the police and the number reported by shops, adding: ‘Retailers won’t report crime if they have no faith in it being investigated.’
President of the Federation of Independent Retailers Hetal Patel said a survey suggested 72 per cent of members had been hit by shoplifting and break-ins.
Earlier this month, Yvette Cooper announced plans for extra officers to be deployed in 500 towns in a blitz on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
On Thursday, the Home Secretary hailed falls in violence and knife-enabled assaults by four per cent in the ONS figures, adding: ‘Overall charge rates are rising so more criminals are facing justice. That is welcome progress.’
