“Shoplifting offences in England and Wales exceeded 500,000 in the previous year, representing an approximate 20% increase compared to the year before.”

• The official statistics from the ONS confirm that reported shoplifting offences in England and Wales reached 530,643 in the year ending March 2025, which is approximately a 20% increase from the prior year.
• This directly corroborates the claim's figures.

The official statistics from the ONS confirm that reported shoplifting offences in England and Wales reached 530,643 in the year ending March 2025, which is approximately a 20% increase from the prior year. This directly corroborates the claim's figures.