Over 29,000 repeat offenders cost the taxpayer ÂŁ5 billion through ritual shoplifting, theft and violence, a new study has unveiled.

Reported at the Labour Party conference alongside prisons minister Lord Timpson, research shows that shoplifting has hit record highs since the record began in 2003.

Furthermore, it shows no signs of slowing down.

530,643 offences have been recorded by police over the past year up to March 2025.

Representing a 19.5 per cent increase on the previous year.

In a statement made by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, he claims funding cuts and the effective “decriminalisation” of shoplifting under the former Conservative Government has led to a resurgence of low-level offences.

The mayor bragged about the notable decline in violent London crime under his supervision, however, admitted to a rise in lower-level offences.

“Shops don’t report it because the police won’t turn up, and if they do, people will be let off with a slap on the wrist” he said.

Speaking with a Detective in the Metropolitan Police, “it’s a massive problem for all of London” he said.

He proceeded to describe how his overstretched colleagues would be dealing with “around 20 cases of shoplifting a week” and the commonality of a thief entering “a Boots” and stealing thousands of pounds worth of goods, undeterred.

When asked about the reasoning behind shoplifting, he replied “desperation, money… it’s selfish regardless”.

It’s not just Boots that is being targeted.

As reported by the ONS earlier this year, countless retail groups have stated their concern by the growth in organised crime, claiming gangs were “hitting store after store”.

Contrarily, evidence suggests that it is not only the organised criminal retail groups should be concerned by but the casual opportunist.

“It happens every 2-3 working days” said Ishmael Conteh, a Security Guard at TK Max in in the city of London.

Conteh described how only a few days ago, a homeless gentleman wondered into the store and was apprehended, attempting to steal women’s underwear.

“They’re just looking to see what they can get away with” he added.

Regardless of motive, this remains to be a victimless crime as stated by British Retailers Association director, Tom Ironside.

According to research conducted by the association, shoplifting costs retailers and customers ÂŁ2.2 billion a year.

A staggering figure which ultimately begs the question.

Is the government doing enough to combat the “epidemic of street theft”, as stated by former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in February at the unveiling of the Crime and Policing Bill?

In response to the ONS statistics, Cooper pledged to rebuild local policing, claiming that more than 500 town centres would be receiving extra patrols in addition to 3,000 more neighbourhood officers and police community officers by spring 2026.

So far, UK high streets have seen few visible results from this proposal as thievery continues to grow.

Time will tell if the newly appointed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood can accomplish what her predecessor couldn’t.