Police charge hundreds of people in shoplifting crackdown
The force is also working to reduce anti-social behaviour in towns and city centres
Last updated 14th Nov 2025
Today we're on patrol with Devon and Cornwall Police - as they increase resources to tackle prolific shoplifters.
The force has secured 460 charges against people just in Exeter alone since January - when the British Retail Consortium warned the issue was becoming 'out of control'.
It found: "Violence and abuse rose over 50% in the past year and 340% since 2020, at which time there were around 455 incidents per day. We are now at over 2,000 incidents every single day, which is the highest rate ever recorded in our crime survey. Most seriously, 70 incidents per day involved a weapon, more than double the previous year.
"The financial impact of retail crime must also not be ignored. The total cost of retail crime including crime prevention now sits at £4.2 billion, of which £2.2 billion is a direct result of customer theft."
The crackdown is being proactively supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to tackle retail crime - along with anti-social behaviour and other offences affecting businesses, staff, customers and communities.
The commissioner is funding introductory schemes for businesses to sign up to new systems to make it easier to report incidents. It includes the continuation of impactful efforts being delivered through business crime reduction partnership UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC).
It is initially funded for 12 months and enables traders to report any crime in just a few minutes via an app or online portal and share intelligence among the business community. UKPAC analysts can then build robust cases ready for prosecution.
To date, nearly 250 national and independent business and charities across Devon and Cornwall have signed up to UKPAC. Big chains benefiting from the initiative include Spar, B&M, Matalan and Frasers Group – which owns stores including Sports Direct, GAME and Jack Wills. Â
Since it was first introduced as a pilot in Torquay and then expanded into other areas including Saltash, Liskeard, Barnstaple and Teignmouth, the police have secured five convictions against repeat offenders, including custodial sentences and compensation orders.
PCC Alison Hernandez said: “My office remains committed to tackling retail crime, ASB and violence through UKPAC, but the introduction of Devon, Cornwall and IOS BCRP takes that one step further by combining collective local efforts to combat retail crime into one joined-up network.
“It will ensure intelligence and activities are widely shared in a timely manner among businesses and the police.
“Businesses will experience the benefits of joined-up intelligence and partnership working with no cost and no obligation to continue after the 12-month trial period."
Last Christmas Devon and Cornwall Police encouraged local businesses to report shoplifting over the festive period.