Has the cost-of-living crisis lurked behind a worrying rise in shoplifting this year? Or is it a lack of ‘bobbies on the beat’ or maybe just good old-fashioned greed? The jury is out but the problem has been one ramping up through the year. Kent Police reported a 17% hike in reported cases in 2023 – leaving shopkeepers exasperated, anxious and left with little choice but to put up their prices. Some stores – such as Lidl – have issued staff with body-worn cameras to catch offenders in the act. Tesco has given staff the option. The scale of the problem led one councillor in Gravesham to describ…
