Police record 22,000 shoplifting reports in a year

Retail crime is on the rise across the UK

Shoplifting in West Yorkshire has risen by 24%, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It comes amid a sharp increase in retail crime across the UK.

More than 22,000 reports of shoplifting were recorded with West Yorkshire Police in 2023, compared with just under 18,000 the previous year.

Officers said they were working to "catch, convict and deter" shoplifters.

Shop staff have told the BBC that they have faced increasing violence from shoplifters when they are confronted.

Earlier this month, the government unveiled plans to make assaulting retail workers a specific criminal offence.

Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Matthew, who manages Paw Prints pet shop in Halifax, said dealing with shoplifters can be "intimidating".

"It's the exact same people daily," he said.

Matthew, at Paw Prints in Halifax, said dealing with shoplifters was "intimidating"

"We had a man and his wife come into store and I caught her stealing dog toys," Matthew said.

"I confronted her about it and the man was so aggressive, to the point where he told me he'd be waiting for me when I finished work."

The manager said one man who had tried to steal something had then gone and sat on the dog beds outside the shop.

"When we asked him to move on he came in and actually started throwing the dog beds in the store at the staff.

"The moment you catch them they do get quite aggressive."

David Brook, manager of a Co-op store in Leeds, said he had been punched and spat at by shoplifters.

"I've worked in retail for 20 years and it's always been bad, but the last couple of years it's got worse and worse," Mr Brook told the Today programme.

He said people would come in gangs or would bring large bags or suitcases.

"Anything to get the maximum amount of products off the shelves as quickly as possible," Mr Brook said.

David Brook said retail crime had got "worse and worse" in recent years

Mr Brook said it was "definitely not petty crime".

"It's organised crime that makes our customers and colleagues feel unsafe."

West Yorkshire Police said its neighbourhood teams worked with businesses to tackle the issue.

Assistant Chief Constable David Miller said: "Within West Yorkshire, the force is working at both a force and district level to catch, convict and deter offenders, whilst engaging with retailers to ensure effective crime prevention and security measures are in place."

He said when prolific offenders are identified and prosecuted they look to use other measures such as Criminal Behaviour Orders "to control their offending and provide longer-term solutions".