London shoplifting cases have soared by more than 200 per cent over the past five years, new official figures show, with many retailers concluding there is 'no point' reporting incidents to police. The Metropolitan Police recorded 93,626 shoplifting offences in 2024-25, up from 31,008 in 2020-21.
Nationally, the number of offences reached 530,457 in the year to September 2025, marking a 133 per cent increase since 2020-21. The trend has been driven by organised gangs targeting stores across busy areas in the capital, leaving shopkeepers frustrated with the lack of police action.
