A record number of shoplifting crimes were reported in Bedfordshire last year, new figures show.

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers warned shoplifting is not a "victimless crime", adding retail stores are being increasingly targeted by "organised crime gangs".

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show 6,218 shoplifting crimes were recorded by Bedfordshire Police in the year to March – up 44% on 4,308 the year before.

It was also the highest number recorded since comparable records began in 2002-03.

Shoplifting has reached record highs in the policing area. Photo from Danny Lawson/PA Images

placeholder image — Shoplifting has reached record highs in the policing area. Photo from Danny Lawson/PA Images

Bedfordshire Police’s Community Policing Chief Inspector Jim Goldsmith said: “Our Community teams are committed to supporting business owners and residents in their local neighbourhoods, with a priority focus on shoplifting and on related offences of handling stolen goods, which can help enable this type of offending.

“We regularly engage with many businesses across the county to help target-harden against these types of crimes and to help identify and apprehend prolific offenders. In addition to prison sentences, we have other tools at our disposal, for example Criminal Behaviour Orders that impose strict conditions on perpetrators to reduce their ability to re-offend.”

Across England and Wales, 530,643 shoplifting offences were logged in 2024-25. It was up 20 per cent from a year earlier, and also the highest since current police recording practices began.

The ONS figures also show 18,603 total theft offences were recorded by Bedfordshire Police in 2024-25, an 8 per cent increase from 17,272 a year prior.

Overall, the force logged 52,116 crimes throughout the recent year – up 4 per cent from 50,093 in 2023-34.

Community Policing Chief Inspector Goldsmith added: “As part of our commitment to making our town centres safer and increasing patrols over the summer period, we are working closely with local authorities and shopping security partners and would continue to encourage reporting from shopkeepers so that we can target our activity based on intelligence.”

In total, police forces recorded 6.6 million crimes in England and Wales in 2024-25, down slightly from 6.7 million in 2023-24.

The ONS said this likely reflect "changes in police activity and recording practices" as well as changes in trends in crimes reported to forces, meaning the figures do "not tend to be a good indicator of general trends in crime".