Shoplifting gangs 'flying to UK to ransack shops', intelligence chief warns

21 May 2024 , 12:53

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Peers have launched an inquiry into the UK's shoplifting crisis (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Organised criminals are flying to the UK in order to ransack shops and escape within hours, an intelligence chief has warned.

Det Chief Supt Jim Taylor, head of national intelligence unit Opal, told an inquiry into the UK's shoplifting crisis there has been a "real shift" in the way gangs operate. More than 430,000 cases were reported in England and Wales last year, as retailers likened the situation to the ‘Wild West’. Peers heard violence against shop and delivery workers is on the rise.

Mr Taylor said criminals have used TikTok to attract large crowds targeting shops. And he went on: "We're seeing travelling criminals from abroad coming to the UK purely to commit retail crime and some of them are going here and back in a day on a cheap flight with very little chance of being captured."

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) estimates there are 400 cases of violence against retail staff in the past. Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman told the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee: "There's a widespread problem where violence seems to be on the increase for our retail community and we're very alive to that."

She said police forces prioritise cases where a suspect is detained, or when there is violence. But she admitted that restoring confidence among retailers is crucial.

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Ms Blakeman hinted that online marketplaces such as Ebay and Facebook Marketplace could be made to bring in new rules to deter gangs from stealing goods to sell. She said: "Having to show and be able to submit ID, making things trackable, no cash payments, these sort of things are areas we're working with."

Katy Bourne, police and crime commissioner for Sussex, described shoplifting as a "gateway crime", stating: "It's where criminals hone their skills and is it why it matters so much to the public."

The Mirror has been demanding urgent action to tackle the problem. We believe police must investigate all shoplifting incidents and want to reverse the Tory change that means nicking goods worth less than £200 largely leads to just a fine in the post.

Our campaign to Clamp Down on Shoplifting also wants to see the underlying causes of shoplifting addressed through efforts to ease the cost of living crisis and providing more support for people with addiction and poor mental health.

Dave Burke