444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in the year to March 2024. The office for National Statistics discovered this number of shoplifting offences which has hit a 20-year high and is on a 30% increase on the previous 12 months. This is also the highest number since current records began in 2003. Shopkeeprs have been raising concerns about the increase in theft in their shops and violence against their staff. In The King’s Speech last week, the Labour government promised to make assaulting a shop worker a criminal offense.