"Oh my God," said the middle-aged woman standing next to me in the supermarket car park. "I haven't paid for this!" 'This' was a pack of sliced ham guiltily hiding in the bottom of her trolley, uncovered as she put her bags into the car. Slightly panic-stricken, she ran back into the shop to confess her crime and face the consequences, which in her case, I suspect, was an understanding smile from staff at customer services.
After all, the would-be thief was not your usual shoplifter. But then, who is these days? Shoplifting is now a hot political and social topic, and little wonder; in England and Wales, offences have rocketed to eye-watering levels.
The Scale of the Problem
From March 2024 to March 2025, there were more than 530,000 recorded incidents of theft – and those are just the ones we are aware of. Lord knows how many others are swiping stuff from the shelves on a daily basis undetected.
It is not a victimless crime, either. The effect on poor shop staff who have to deal with thieves should not be underestimated – all too often these situations can turn violent, and nobody should have to deal with that when they are just doing their job.
Government Response
Sir Keir Starmer said this week that the 'tide could be turning' in the battle to keep stock on shelves, with a recent 17% increase in thieves being charged. Better use of technology may also be deployed to help. But this is not a one-size-fits-all issue.
Who Are the Shoplifters?
When you think of shoplifters, who springs to mind? Wicked criminals who go armed with knives to take what they can? Teenagers out to cause mischief? Desperate mums stealing baby milk and nappies they cannot afford?
The truth is all of the above categories apply to people who filch from shops, but there are also now those for whom shoplifting is simply a source of income. These are people who steal to sell on: bottles of booze down the pub, joints of meat to another store at a cut price, clothes to their friends and wider acquaintances.
They may well be funding a drug or alcohol habit or using the cash to pay the rent, but these are career shoplifters who are not struggling to feed a family, just struggling not to be disadvantaged. And then there are the organised gangs who operate on an industrial scale, preying on retailers large and small to line their own pockets.
Complex Solutions Needed
Shoplifting is a complex crime and so, therefore, should be the solution. Heightened risk of going to jail may deter some but not all. Neither will the shame that can come with being labelled a thief.
And although tackling the cost of living crisis is crucial, it will not prevent some from continuing to steal. It is a jigsaw crime and needs a range of answers, perhaps starting at the most basic level of all: getting rid of self-service tills and employing more shop staff.
On a Lighter Note: Theatre Costs
One more thing... I just love going to the theatre. There is something special about sitting in the dark with a group of strangers being moved to tears of laughter or sadness. Movies are great, but a live performance cannot be beaten.
So when I spotted the musical Jesus Christ Superstar was opening in London, I logged on to check out ticket prices. The average cost of a ticket was almost £250. The best seats nudged £400. If I paid that much for a seat, I would want it made out of gold.
Factor in the cost of a train and an overnight stay, and you are spending the equivalent of a week's holiday on a night out. Seventy-five years ago this week, the Festival of Britain opened in the capital.
Prime Minister Clement Attlee said it would show 'we are not just a nation of shopkeepers, but a people who appreciate and practise the arts'. Appreciating them is one thing. Affording them these days is quite another.
