Chris Philp says there is no excuse for rise in shoplifting

Chris Philp's comments come amid increasing levels of theft in UK shops, with the minister saying gangs, criminal re-selling and drugs were largely to blame.

He added: "There really is no excuse for crime at all, including shoplifting... we've got a very generous benefits system of spending... the national minimum wage has just gone up."

A survey by the British Retail Consortium this year found levels of shoplifting in 10 major cities had risen by an average of 27% compared with 2022, costing businesses £1.76 billion over a 12-month period, Sky News reports.

Chris Philp has said there is 'no excuse' for the rise in shoplifting in the UK (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

What is the punishment for shoplifting?

According to the Sentencing Council, if the goods taken "are worth less than £200, the maximum sentence is six months’ custody".

"If the goods are worth more than £200, the maximum sentence is seven years’ custody," it adds.

Shops not putting meat on shelves until they have security guard in store

Speaking to Sky News on the subject of shoplifting, field officer Nick Strickland who is part of Sussex Police's Business Crime Reduction Partnership in Brighton, shared some of the procedures some shops are taking to try and prevent it.

He said that meat, dairy and butter are frequently taken because of rising prices and high resale values.

"Some stores don't even put meat on to the shelves until they've got a security guard in the store... if you want something, you have to go and ask," he added.

Mr Strickland also mentioned a clothes store that had been targeted by suspected organised criminals who stole whole racks of products.

He commented: "They'll come in, usually by the door, and just wrap their hands around the coat hangers, lift them and either put them in a bag or just lift them and run out the front door."

Mr Philp warned that a lack of focus on shoplifting by forces means there has been "no deterrence".

Referring to the looting that has taken place in some American cities, the policing minister said: "The San Francisco case study... shows what happens when you have a permissive environment where the police don't take further action, where you don't have a zero-tolerance approach, you get these crime types simply escalating."