Shoplifting rates in London have surged, with reported incidents increasing by 54% last year in comparison to 2023, as revealed by recent statistics.
In 2024, nearly 90,000 shoplifting incidents were documented in the city, a notable increase from approximately 58,000 the year before, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Across England, excluding London, shoplifting incidents rose by 15% during the past year.
The office of Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan emphasized that he is “committed to addressing crime and its multifaceted causes,” and acknowledged that “there is evidently still more work required” to combat shoplifting and additional offenses.
Previously, Sir Sadiq attributed the rise in shoplifting to London’s abundance of retail outlets compared to other regions and the city’s exceptionally high living costs.
The ONS also reported a 41% rise in theft from individuals in London in 2024.
Conversely, theft from individuals decreased by 14% in the rest of England, with Greater Manchester experiencing a sharper decline of 28%.
In London, other crime categories such as possession of weapons saw a reduction of 20%, violence with injury dropped by 15%, and stalking and harassment cases fell by 10%.
London continues to represent nearly one-third of all knife-related incidents in England, with a knife crime occurrence roughly every half hour.
A representative for the mayor stated: “Sadiq is resolute in his commitment to addressing crime and its intricate causes, while building on the advancements made in London, where incidents of knife injuries among youth, homicides, gun-related crimes, and burglaries have all decreased since 2016.
“ONS data indicates that London residents are less likely to experience violent injuries than those in the rest of England and Wales.
“However, it is clear that there remains significant work to be done in addressing knife crime, shoplifting, and theft.”
The spokesperson also noted that the mayor recently unveiled a record investment of £1.16 billion for the Metropolitan Police, which is expected to “preserve 935 neighbourhood police officer positions and ensure a visible police presence in our shopping areas.”
