Officers should use discretion over stealing to eat, says police watchdog

‘Police are there to help people in extreme need, that’s why we joined. We can signpost them to a food bank or help like that,’ said one chief constable. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

The cost of living crisis will trigger an increase in crime and officers should use their “discretion” when deciding whether to prosecute people who steal in order to eat, the new chief inspector of constabulary has said.

“The impact of poverty, and the impact of lack of opportunity for people, does lead to an increase in crime. There’s no two ways about that,” Andy Cooke said as inflation hit a 40-year high of 9%.