THE number of shoplifting offences across South Wales has reached its highest figure in the last five years, according to new research.

Over 13,000 shoplifting offences have taken place over the past year according to a new investigation.

Personal Injury Claims UK found that South Wales Police logged 44,996 shoplifting offences since April 2021 and figures are increasing rapidly since 2023.

In 2019/2020, offences sat at 9884, which is the second-highest total in the past five years.

This dropped to 6925 in the next two years, but this was caused by restrictions and lockdowns during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After restrictions were lifted in 2022/2023, offences began to rise again, reaching 9186.

This comes after shoplifting in England and Wales has risen to a new 20-year high with the Office for National Statistics revealing offences have increased by 30% in the last 12 months.

Research conducted by The Times suggests that UK police officers have almost stopped punishing shoplifters.

The increase in shoplifting offences is said to be caused by the cost-of-living crisis in recent years.

Retailers such as Co-op and John Lewis, have reported record levels of retail crime with incidents of abuse, violence, and anti-social behaviour accompanying the surge in theft.

Theft losses have doubled in the past year to £1.8 billion with an extra £1.2 billion spent on anti-crime measures – showing an increase of £950 million from the year before.

Personal Injury Claims UK conducted their research by sending Freedom of Information requests to every police force in England and Wales.

They asked how many shoplifting offences were reported in a given area from 2019 to 2024.

Personal Injury Claims UK offers free advice and support to those who may have been injured at work while confronting a shoplifter.

The company operates a 24-hour helpline and claim online form.

For more information about Personal Injury Claims UK, check out their website.