SRC: Shop Theft Rise Requires Increased Law Enforcement
Responding to the publication of the latest Recorded Crime in Scotland statistics which show a 15 per cent rise in shop thefts over the past year, to over 50,000 incidents, Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:
“Shop theft continues to be a blight on our communities. Thieving from stores isn’t a victimless crime. It’s a key factor behind rising levels of abuse and threats towards shop workers and we know from member feedback that thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive. The financial cost is immense. Our most recent crime report found the total cost of retail crime across the UK last year was £985 million. That cost is paid for through higher prices, a worse shopping experience, and undermines the health and vitality of our high streets
“Whilst the rise in recorded crime is disappointing, it’s likely some of this is a consequence of the increased police response following the creation of the Retail Crime Taskforce. Retailers are starting to increase reporting in the hope Police Scotland will be able to respond more effectively than in the past. So this rise may not mark an increase in crime; just in retailers informing the Police.
“However, even these elevated figures are unlikely to capture the full picture of shop theft. Our crime report found there were 5,451,000 incidents of theft from stores across the UK. That reaffirms the need for the Retail Crime Taskforce funding be sustained and enhanced and for the courts to play their part if we are to truly turn the tide on thieving and crime against retailers.”
ENDS-
Notes to Editors
- According to the Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending December 2025 figures published this morning: “Shoplifting increased by 15% compared to the previous year (from 43,556 to 50,300 crimes), and increased by 137% from the year ending December 2021 (from 21,234 to 50,300 crimes).” https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-year-ending-december-2025/pages/main-findings/
- The British Retail Consortium’s Crime Report was published this morning and can be found here: https://brc.org.uk/media/bk1n3umn/crime-survey-2026.pdf
