The UK is facing a crime epidemic, here's what you need to know

Recent data by the British Retail Consortium shows that levels of shoplifting in 10 of the biggest cities in the UK have risen by an average of 27% this year, leading the damage caused by theft to reach 953 million pounds.

While rising cost of living in the UK squeezes citizens' income and pushes some towards theft, what was once considered a victimless crime perpetrated only by those in desperate need or dire financial circumstances, has turned into something more perverse.

A more dangerous approach

Due to a lack of prioritisation and punishment of the police towards shoplifting, some citizens have opted to organise raids where a group of people storm into a shop and empty it all, leading to instances of violence towards retail workers. According to data, The police have failed to respond to 73% of reported cases as these have steadily climbed to an estimated 1,000 thefts per day across the UK.

The situation has reached a critical point that drove the leaders of 88 major retailers to write to Interior Minister Suella Braverman asking for the passing of legislation over this spike in crime.

The British retail consortium is asking the government to establish a standalone offense for assaulting retail workers with more severe punishment. The industry also wants the police to prioritise retail crime across the UK.

The intersection of limited police budgets, understaffing and lenient punishments have created a perfect storm that emboldens criminals to pursue theft as a valid way to seek income at a time when legislation still treats shoplifting as a victimless crime perpetrated through the theft of an item or two at the self-checkout counter.

How did the situation balloon to this level?

In 2014, the Antisocial Behavior, Crime and Policing Act required that any shoplifting offence valued at less than £200 be treated as a summary offence punishable by a £70 fine. This has allowed the police to skip shoplifting investigations and abandon prosecutions for more serious crimes. For goods worth more than £200, the punishment can reach a maximum of seven years in prison. However, due to the low priority of retail crime, these are rarely investigated. Despite retailers' best efforts such as Project Pegasus where they spent £600 000 paying the police to run CCTV footage through facial recognition and the implementation of body cameras for retail workers, the problem still requires action by the government.

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Sources:

Politics.co.uk: Retailers demand urgent action as crime soars

Euronews: Shoplifting surges in UK as retail workers face rise in violence and abuse

Yahoo: What powers do the police have to stop theft 'epidemic'?