Just 104 shoplifters carried out thousands of offences

London's Metropolitan Police say 104 repeat shoplifters were responsible for more than 5,300 offences over the past two years. Each offender committed at least 31 crimes before being jailed, and shoplifting accounted for about a third of identified London cases. Most continued offending after charges. The Met, the British Retail Consortium and Retail Trust have urged fast-track courts to hear cases within 72 hours of charge and a clearer escalation system for breaches of criminal behaviour orders, plus more consistent enforcement. Assistant Commissioner Twist credited new technology for rapid identification and arrest of the small group driving much of the crime. The Retail Consortium notes too many offenders still face little meaningful consequence. In the year to May 2025, 6,939 shoplifting cases had a positive outcome (6.8%), while in the year to May 2026, 14,347 of 100,264 had a positive outcome (14.3%). The Home Office was asked for comment.