Charity shop loses money to shoplifting every day

About £20 of stock is being stolen from a Cancer Research UK charity shop in Peterborough every day, according to its manager.

Marina Staudze said shoplifting was a "major problem" for the store on Westgate.

Police figures showed there were 578 shoplifting incidents reported in the city centre in the year to July - a rise of 15.4% on the year before.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police encouraged all businesses affected to report each theft.

Staudze said her charity shop was losing about £20 of goods each day to thieves.

"It's really very sad because people don't understand the main purpose of the charity… we're trying to raise money for cancer research," she added.

Techniques used by thieves ranged from trying clothes on and leaving with them, to swiping items from shelves, the manager explained.

Will Cleaver, who manages a nearby Salvation Army shop, said even a baby Jesus from their nativity display had been stolen in the past.

"It's not just us exclusively, it's a lot of shops here in Peterborough. It's a daily occurrence," he said of shoplifting.

However, he praised Cambridgeshire Police for its action after a recent incident he reported.

"By that evening, I had a police officer in store taking a full statement. Two weeks later, [the thief] was appearing in court," he added.

Shoplifting offences totalled 502,011 in England and Wales in the 2025-26 financial year.

It costs retailers and customers £2.2bn a year, according to the British Retailers Association.

Abdul Arain, who owns Al-Amin Stores in Mill Road, Cambridge, blames the cost of living crisis for a surge in thefts.

Energy drinks, ice cream, coffee and razors were among the items commonly snatched from his shop.

"It makes me not just angry, but also disillusioned," Arain said.

"For us, it's the pennies that count. I am worried about my bottom line - and I imagine other retailers are as well."

The police spokesman said tackling shoplifting was a priority for officers, who understood the "huge impact" it had.

"We work closely with retailers concerning shoplifting and seek prosecutions where possible," he said.

"The force would also encourage businesses to reporting shoplifting to us as it helps our officers build a bigger picture of what is happening across the county."

Additional reporting by Tom Jackson.

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