Businesses see 'stark' rise in retail theft

The report from Kent Police's chief constable found a 9.1% rise in retail theft in the past year

Kent businesses have experienced a "stark" rise in shoplifting and retail robbery in the past year, according to new figures.

The data, released in a report from Kent Police chief constable Tim Smith, found thefts from stores in the 12 months from June 2024 to June 2025 rose by 9.1%, to 17,091 incidents.

Mr Smith said a 3.8% increase in its "solved" offences (to 32.1%) made the county one of the best in England, although its recording of such criminal activity remained a focus.

A new Home Office-defined classification of "business robbery" has seen an increase of 244%, from 68 to 234 crimes, in the same timeframe.

Mr Smith said the figures around retail crime were "really, really stark in themselves" but had to be seen in the context of the way the crimes were now counted.

The newly-classified "business robbery" is where thieves use or threaten force on a shop worker before or during the theft. This would previously have been recorded as shoplifting.

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott said the change would "ensure those working in the retail industry are afforded the corresponding protection and the perpetrators are held to account".

Neighbour disputes

Kent Police's performance overall in the period under discussion was generally positive, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In the year to June 2025, serious violence saw a 7.3% decrease with 1,231 fewer offences, domestic abuse was down 4.2% (from 28,881 to 27,657), and rural crimes were down 9.1% - from 658 to 598 offences.

However, there had been an increase in serious sexual offences, which were up 4.1% to 112 crimes, and the force saw a "notable increase" in neighbour disputes and drunken and rowdy behaviour, which were both up by more than 15%.