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

Shoplifters are "not always arrested", despite the county experiencing a record number of shoplifting offences in the last year, Suffolk Police officers said.

Data gathered by the BBC shows there were 4,322 reports of shoplifting in the county in 2025/26 – an 11.8% increase when compared to the 3,865 recorded the year before.

Just over half (51%) of the investigations in 2025/26 were closed by Suffolk Police without a suspect being found, a slight improvement on the 54% from the previous year.

PC Lewis Rogers said shoplifting was a "massive problem", and every report was investigated, but disclosed that if officers can avoid arresting offenders, then they will.

"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."

This was echoed by Rogers' colleague, Sgt Jessy Sorrell, who said there were "other ways of dealing" with shoplifters and arrests were not always necessary.

"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 were talking to the BBC during a patrol in Ipswich, which has a rate of 15.2 shoplifting incidents per 1,000 people - nearly double the national rate of 8.1.

In West Suffolk, East Suffolk, Mid Suffolk and Babergh, meanwhile, those figures per 1,000 people are 3.9, 3.7, 2.2 and 2.1, respectively.

The number of shoplifting offences recorded in the county in the last year means that Suffolk Police has recorded the second-highest percentage increase of any force.

According to Rogers, shoplifters in the area, many of whom he proclaims to know "quite well" and by name, tend to steal products they can sell quickly, 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 - down 5% from a record high in the year before.

While there has been a reduction, the overall figure remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, up by 50% from 334,976 in 2015/16.

Many shops across the UK have started bolstering their security in a bid to deter shoplifters and prevent them from falling victim.

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

"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."

As is the case in many stores, employees are discouraged from confronting shoplifters in favour of just observing what the offenders 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 worked in retail for 20 years, said he found out the hard way what can happen if shoplifters are confronted or 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."

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

He said that shoplifters are "not isolated to any specific demographic" and they steal all manner 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 admitted his shop probably fell foul to shoplifting less than those in town centres but said 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?"

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

He added that money had been spent on two new town centre policing teams to help tackle the issue and more work was being done 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 spokesperson for Suffolk Police, meanwhile, said an ongoing operation in Ipswich town centre was working to "disrupt prolific offenders".

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

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