'Shoplifters are a problem, but we don't always arrest them'

'Shoplifters are a problem, but we don't always arrest them'

Shoplifters are "not always arrested", even though Suffolk has seen a record number of shoplifting offences over the past year, police officers have said.

BBC-collected data shows there were 4,322 shoplifting reports in the county in 2025/26, an 11.8% rise from the 3,865 logged the previous year.

Just over half, or 51%, of the investigations in 2025/26 were shut by Suffolk Police without a suspect being identified, a small improvement on the 54% recorded the year before.

PC Lewis Rogers described shoplifting as a "massive problem" and said every report is looked into, but admitted officers will avoid arresting offenders where possible.

"They are not always arrested; it depends if they're prolific offenders, if they're known to us, if they've got an address, if we can deal with them in a different way," he said.

"Prolific offenders would be arrested, but we have to be proportionate - it's a one-off or someone we can deal with out of court; then maybe we'll go down that route."

His colleague Sgt Jessy Sorrell made the same point, saying there were "other ways of dealing" with shoplifters and that arrest was not always needed.

"If you look at our most prolific shoplifters, they will be people who are funding some sort of addiction, and in order to do that they have to make money," she said.

"If it is a mum's first occasion stealing and they haven't got a history, then we will look at it, and it's unlikely that would result in an arrest.

"But it doesn't mean that they are not going to have a criminal record as a result of it."

The officers spoke to the BBC during a patrol in Ipswich, where the rate is 15.2 shoplifting incidents per 1,000 people - almost twice the national figure of 8.1.

In West Suffolk, East Suffolk, Mid Suffolk and Babergh, the rates per 1,000 people are 3.9, 3.7, 2.2 and 2.1, respectively.

The county's shoplifting total over the last year means Suffolk Police has logged the second-highest percentage rise of any force.

Rogers said shoplifters in the area, many of whom he says he knows "quite well" and by name, usually target goods they can quickly resell, such as meat.

"They usually use one or two bags for life, and quite often they will be on a bike as well so they can make off in the area straight away," he added.

"I've dealt with thefts as low as £5 before; there's no limit, but obviously we have to be proportionate about what we investigate and how much time and effort we put into it.

"However, every incident that's reported to us will be investigated."

Across England and Wales in 2025/26, police forces recorded more than half a million shoplifting offences - 5% fewer than the record high seen the year before.

Although the figure has fallen, it is still far above pre-pandemic levels, up 50% from 334,976 in 2015/16.

Many retailers across the UK have been strengthening security to try to deter shoplifters and avoid becoming victims.

One of them is The East of England Co-op at Ipswich train station, where head of security Lee Hammond told the BBC that barriers had been fitted.

"You can't just run in and run out, so that helps stem the flow of people that want to come and grab something and run out again," he said.

"All our stores have monitored CCTV that goes back to the alarm receiving centre where we can see all of our three and a half thousand cameras across the East of England.

"You have to put a lot of pounds through the till to make up for theft, so it is not good for business, and so the way we manage crime is the most important thing."

The East of England Co-op's security boss, Lee Hammond, said it was important that employees did not put themselves in harm's way

As in many shops, staff are told not to confront shoplifters and instead to watch what they are doing.

"We don't want people doing that because a colleague getting hurt or injured at work is absolutely not what we want," added Hammond.

"And it's not that everybody needs a sanction from the courts. It's not that everyone needs arresting. Sometimes, there are people that need genuine support.

"Sometimes good people make poor choices."

Shopworker Richard, who has spent 20 years in retail, said he learned the hard way what can happen when shoplifters are challenged.

"I've been punched, spat at and bitten by members of the public who've stolen, and it's just not a safe thing to do," he said.

"You take great pride in the job you do and the store you work in...[so when] you see people coming in and just blatantly taking stuff, it's like they're stealing from you.

"But it just seems like it's a normal occurrence now."

Shop owners James and Carly Whelman said they were not hit by shoplifters as often as town centre stores, but that it was still unpleasant

James Whelman has run the Hollingsworths Store in Chelmondiston for nine years with his wife, Carly.

He said shoplifters are "not isolated to any specific demographic" and take all kinds of items, including a £4 bottle of sauce.

"The gentleman took it out of the box and slipped it up his sleeve, which is not really the end of the world, but it is the principle of it," he said.

"Kids will be kids, and sometimes they might help themselves to the odd lollipop or chewing gum, but grown-ups really should know right from wrong."

Whelman said his shop probably suffered less shoplifting than those in town centres, but he still took it personally.

"We're a family business, we don't make huge profits, and the reason we're here is to earn a living to support a family, and serve the community we're a part of," he added.

"So it is very upsetting, and it's the audacity of somebody who's willing to walk into basically somebody's front room and just take from you.

"That's quite sad – it's sad for us, and really I think it's sad for them because what sort of people must they be?"

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore said the force was committed to fighting shoplifting

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, said the rise in offences was a "concern" but that police took "unacceptable" shoplifting "seriously".

He said money had been spent on two new town centre policing teams to help deal with the problem, and that more work was under way to arrest and charge prolific offenders.

"Such criminals should be given a stiff sentence to act as a deterrent – a slap on the hand, and placing individuals on bail often leads to repeat offending.

"This crime costs us all and damages retail, especially small businesses, which is why it must not be tolerated by any of us."

A Suffolk Police spokesperson said an ongoing operation in Ipswich town centre was aimed at "disrupt prolific offenders".

They said the aim was to "reduce retail crime and improve community and business confidence" and that feedback from shops had so far been "positive".

"Positive outcomes have increased, and prolific offenders are being put before the courts at the earliest opportunity," they added.

"The constabulary continues to trial new initiatives, including Safer Pods, devices that send a strong message to potential offenders that the area is being monitored and protected.

"We continue to tackle shoplifting using preventative powers and provide crime prevention advice to many of the shops and business networks."