Buckinghamshire's shoplifting epidemic laid bare

Office for National Statistics figures show about 12,200 shoplifting offences were recorded by Thames Valley Police in the year to June – up from 10,000 in 2022.

It follows trends across England and Wales where reports of shoplifting increased 25 per cent, from 293,000 offences in 2021-22 to 365,200 last year.

However, it was below the 368,700 shoplifting crimes recorded in 2019, before the pandemic.

James Lowman, Association of Convenience Stores chief executive, said: "Convenience retailers are facing unprecedented levels of theft against their businesses at the hands of prolific offenders who are targeting stores repeatedly without fear of reproach."

He added: "These incidents take a huge toll on retailers and their colleagues, so it’s crucial that every incident reported to the police gets investigated."

He said the ONS figures show a rise in reported shoplifting to police, but only represent "a fraction" of what is happening.

"The vast majority of theft still goes unreported, as retailers are frustrated at the lack of response and follow up activity from their local police forces," he added.

This comes after a number of businesses in High Wycombe experienced shoplifting and even worse, robberies. 

Neda Mini Market in the High Street was burgled with £13,000 worth of goods stolen from the store, the most extreme form of shoplifting shopkeeper Asghar Beshavardi has ever experienced.

After it happened, Steve Baker MP visited the store to speak to the owner about the incident after police allegedly 'failed to launch an investigation.'

"Police came to my shop and got the proper statement, then police took my case serious," Asghar, said.

Police then managed to find the thieves but three weeks later the case dropped.

Expressing disappointment in the police's attitude towards shoplifting, Asghar stated that shoplifting is rampant in High Wycombe.

His claim is based on friends' testimonies of similar experiences in their shops.

"The shoplifting is not decreased, because the thief's know that police aren't doing any serious action about it and they take advantage," Asghar said, indicating a rising concern among local business owners.

One business in High Wycombe went to extreme lengths to deter shoplifters by displaying a severed head of an 'ex shoplifter'.

In a model toy shop, a pale pretend head, gruesomely cut at the neck, hangs by the hair attached to the ceiling.

Ranjit Hear, 62, has seen increasing thefts at his Premier store in High Wycombe over the last 12 months.

Thieves have been stealing beer, spirits, cigarettes, sweets, energy drinks and even stationary from the Castle Street shop, the owner told the Free Press.

He said: “They tap the card and know already that it is not going to go through, whether it is stolen or there is no money on it. They grab the bottle and just run out.”

The thefts in Buckinghamshire reflect the 24 percent rise in shoplifting across England and Wales in the year ending March 2023.

Shoplifting offences per 1,000 people in Thames Valley have risen by 15 percent during the same period.

The number of incidents in Wycombe is 4 per 1,000 people, slightly below the Thames Valley average of 5, according to Police UK data.

Matthew Barber met several businesses in the Eden Shopping Centre in High Wycombe on October 17 to discuss the roll-out of a new crime logging system, Disc, an information database that he said would help police tackle a nationally endemic shoplifting problem and could help to facilitate water-tight prosecutions. 

Barber said: "Disc is built on intelligence sharing, so it may not be something that happens instantaneously, but it does make it easier for retailers to bring together several instances of shoplifting to secure a prosecution and get a really good sentence.

"We're also in the process of deploying more officers to front-facing neighbourhood roles - a really important part of preventing these offences is being more visible and acting as a deterrent."

Do you think the new crime logging system is helping tackle shoplifting? Are you a shopkeeper that's been affected by shoplifting? Get in touch by emailing isabella.perrin@newsquest.co.uk