Huge surge in shoplifting blamed on cops not pursuing criminals who have stolen less than £200
Government ministers were also accused of leading the decriminalisation of shoplifting
COPS have been blamed for the recent spike in shoplifting as retailers claim officers do not pursue thugs who steal goods worth less than £200.
Government ministers were also accused of essentially leading the decriminalisation of shoplifting after it was revealed a threshold for pursing criminals had been quietly introduced.
Shoplifting costs the economy more than £6 billion a year with official figures suggesting the number of reported offences has risen from just over 300,000 in 2012-13 to almost 370,000 last year, the reported.
As part of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Police Act 2014, anyone accused of "low-value shoplifting" no longer has to attend court, and can plead guilty by post.
The rule was enforced to save courts money and time. But leading retailers have warned the "prolific and persistent" criminals knew how to exploit the rules.
Top traders said thugs would steal items under the £200 threshold a few times, in order to avoid the more serious sanction.
In a meeting with the Home Office, it was revealed police forces only deploy officers if retail staff were threatened with violence.
A senior retail industry source told the newspaper: "Many thieves, who have substance abuse problems, simply use shops and supermarkets like piggy banks.
"They will target things like meat, cheese and coffee that they can sell quickly and easily."
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggested as many as 90 per cent of shoplifting offences were not reported.
The Home Office and Ministry of Justice is now working with the retail sector to develop a National Business Crime Solution, aimed at finding new initiatives to tackle the problem.
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A Government spokesman told the newspaper: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It causes cost and disruption to businesses, as well as damage to communities and consumers.
"The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 allows shoplifting offences, where the value of the goods stolen does not exceed £200, to be prosecuted in the Magistrates court. But this does not diminish the seriousness of the crimes, which should be reported to the police and dealt with accordingly.
"Sentencing decisions are a matter for the independent courts, who take into account the full facts of each case."
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