More than a third of London’s 32 boroughs saw at least twice as many shoplifting offences over the last year than they did 10 years ago, according to new Metropolitan Police data.
The Met recorded more than double the number of shoplifting offences over the last 12 months than they did in the year beginning November 1 2015, in Newham, Camden, Tower Hamlets, Enfield, Islington, Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark, Brent, Bexley, and Havering.
And a further six boroughs have seen shoplifting surge by more than 90% in the last decade.
Newham was the worst-affected borough in London over the last decade, seeing shoplifting rise by 183% over the same period.
Touseef Sheraz, 25, who has been a security guard for three years at a supermarket on East Ham High Street in Newham, said he noticed shoplifting surge in his first two years on the job, but that he thought it was starting to get better in recent months as a result of increased security measures.
Sheraz said: “The companies are getting really strict, they are demanding to see shoplifting reports and the data.
“Managers now contact security guards if they don’t file detailed reports, so we are more proactive.
“The police are also getting better at responding, and we see police and high street security officers patrolling regularly these days, who we can call for backup when we need it.
“We also now have two or three security guards on every shift, because we told our employer that one was not enough.”
While Sheraz insisted the increased measures at high-street supermarkets has begun to deter shoplifters, he admitted that shoplifters just move on to other shops that don’t have security on the door.
He added: “Things are getting better as a result of the organised response, but there’s still a lot of shoplifting.
“If security is not on the door, they are going to steal, and the staff can’t stop them – so we have to be here.
“Shoplifting will never end unless the Metropolitan Police and leading security authorities like SIA sit together and work to try to fix the loopholes.”
Sheraz added that he would like to see security guards looked after better with a guaranteed partner and a place to sit on shift, longer breaks, and a higher wage to compensate for the added risks of the job.
Barking and Dagenham – bordering Newham – actually had the lowest rise in shoplifting in London over the last decade – seeing only 22% more offences last year than it did between November 2015 and October 2016.
Barking and Dagenham also beat Richmond upon Thames to the podium this year for the least shoplifting offences, with 1135 recorded offences compared to 1265 in Richmond – making this year the first since November 2015 where Richmond did not record the least offences in London.
A spokesperson for Barking and Dagenham Council said: “We’re pleased to see Barking and Dagenham recording the lowest shoplifting figures in London – it reflects the proactive work we’ve done with the Police and local businesses to keep our town centres safe.
“Over the past year, we’ve invested in targeted enforcement and partnership operations as part of our seasonal town centre plans. Our Community Safety Enforcement team patrols key areas to reduce antisocial behaviour, provide community reassurance, and work closely with traders, alongside other street-based teams and CCTV services.
“Regular engagement with retailers and joint operations with the Police ensure compliance, public order, and safety, making our town centres attractive and secure for shoppers and businesses. We’re pleased that these efforts are paying off and remain committed to keeping Barking and Dagenham safe.”
However, a security guard in a shopping centre in Barking Town Centre, who asked to be unnamed, warned against the statistics being potentially misleading.
He said: “The statistics do not represent what we are seeing in store, it’s now four or five incidents a day.
“They come in big groups wearing balaclavas, sometimes as many as eight or ten at a time.
“And they are definitely getting more violent, four months ago I was punched in the face, and one of the fingers on my left hand is still broken.
“As it’s increasingly teenagers shoplifting, the police hesistate to do anything because they know their records will get wiped at 18 – they see it as a waste of resources and time.”
A small-business owner in Barking, also shocked at the statistics, believed the data could be down to branded chain stores moving away from Barking High Street.
She said: “Many of the larger stores have left Barking High Street, we haven’t even got a Primark or JD!
“There’s nothing left to steal – if you want to shoplift you’re going to go up the road to East Ham [in Newham] where they have branded shops.
“We’re more concerned with home theft and murder around here.”
A sales assistant, who has worked in an electronics shop near Barking Station for four years, acknowledged that there could be some truth to the resident’s theory.
She revealed to the North East Londoner that the store has been forced to put all items valued over £200 behind the counter following a violent shoplifting incident in January this year.
She did also say, however, that she has noticed shoplifting offences reduce during her time working at the electronics supplier – particularly since the shop moved its high-ticket goods.
The recent spike in London shoplifting offences comes as new Lib Dem data has shown the Metropolitan Police also had the lowest conviction rate for shoplifting offences of any police force in England and Wales over the last year.
Just one in twenty shoplifting investigations by the Met led to a conviction between 2024 and 2025.
British Retail Consortium policy advisor Lucy Whing said: “Retail theft is a major issue for retailers, costing over £2.2bn a year and acting as a major trigger for violence and abuse against staff.
“While the causes are manifold, the rise in organised crime is a significant concern, with gangs hitting stores one after another.
“Sadly, such theft is not a victimless crime; it pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience.”
As I was leaving Newham, I witnessed a shoplifting offence in Royal Express Convenience Store just outside the entrance of East Ham Station.
The shop owner told the North East Londoner that it was a regular occurrence, and that his corner shop was victim to multiple shoplifting offences every day.
He said he films offences and puts pictures of serial shoplifters on the shop walls, but that the measures have not so far helped to bring down losses to theft.
The Metropolitan Police and Newham Council declined to comment.
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