Personal theft up 22% in England and Wales, ONS says

Personal thefts recorded by police in England and Wales were up 22% in 2024 from the previous year, according to official figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows police recorded 152,416 thefts from the person offences last year, the highest since the current data methods began in 2003.

Shoplifting was also on the rise, surpassing half a million recorded offences for the first time.

Meanwhile, the number of homicides was the lowest for a decade, and overall crime was still below pre-pandemic levels and down more than 75% since the mid-1990s.