Is theft going up?
The police recorded 1,637,773 theft offences in England and Wales in 2025-26, including 507,086 shoplifting offences, up 122% on 2020-21. The Crime Survey estimates 2.63 million thefts, down from 7.21 million in 2001-02.
Offences, 2025-26.
Recorded by the police, 2025-26. up 122% on 2020-21.
Million incidents, 2025-26. Highest: 1.42 (2001-02).
Theft over time
What’s this?
The number of theft offences the police recorded in England and Wales: burglary, vehicle offences, shoplifting and other theft.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of shoplifting offences the police recorded in England and Wales.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes that people report to the police and the police record, so it rises when people report more or the police record more carefully, not only when there is more crime.
What’s this?
The number of thefts people say they experienced in the survey: burglary, vehicle theft, theft from the person and other theft.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes people remember and report to interviewers, so it misses crimes against children under 10, people not living in households and crimes with no clear victim. There was no survey for the years ending March 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, so those years are blank.
What’s this?
The number of burglaries and attempted burglaries of people's homes that they say they experienced in the survey.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes people remember and report to interviewers, so it misses crimes against children under 10, people not living in households and crimes with no clear victim. There was no survey for the years ending March 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, so those years are blank.
What’s this?
The number of times people say property they own was damaged on purpose in the survey.
What it cannot tell you: It counts crimes people remember and report to interviewers, so it misses crimes against children under 10, people not living in households and crimes with no clear victim. There was no survey for the years ending March 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, so those years are blank.
Year by year
| Period | Thefts recorded by the police | Shoplifting recorded by the police | Theft reported to the Crime Survey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,637,773 | 507,086 | 2.63 |
| 2024-25 | 1,777,619 | 530,324 | 2.80 |
| 2023-24 | 1,780,309 | 443,959 | 2.69 |
| 2022-23 | 1,722,498 | 342,378 | 2.65 |
| 2021-22 | 1,496,470 | 274,933 | – |
| 2020-21 | 1,301,397 | 228,107 | – |
| 2019-20 | 1,928,317 | 359,245 | 3.30 |
| 2018-19 | 2,013,578 | 374,789 | 3.75 |
| 2017-18 | 2,012,500 | 382,649 | 3.58 |
| 2016-17 | 1,881,317 | 370,294 | 3.33 |
Questions people ask
Is shoplifting rising?
Police-recorded shoplifting was 507,086 in 2025-26, up 122% on 2020-21, and the highest we show is 530,324 (2024-25). Retailers report more thefts and the police record more of them; the Crime Survey does not cover crimes against businesses.
How many burglaries are there?
The Crime Survey estimates 0.35 million burglaries and attempts against homes in 2025-26, down from 1.42 million in 2001-02.
What does “thefts recorded by the police” measure?
The number of theft offences the police recorded in England and Wales: burglary, vehicle offences, shoplifting and other theft. It was 1,637,773 (crimes recorded in the year) in 2025-26, up 26% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 3,413,319 (2002-03) and the lowest 1,301,397 (2020-21).
What does “shoplifting recorded by the police” measure?
The number of shoplifting offences the police recorded in England and Wales. It was 507,086 (crimes recorded in the year) in 2025-26, up 122% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 530,324 (2024-25) and the lowest 228,107 (2020-21).
What does “theft reported to the crime survey” measure?
The number of thefts people say they experienced in the survey: burglary, vehicle theft, theft from the person and other theft. It was 2.63 (million crimes a year) in 2025-26, down 1% on 2022-23. The highest we have is 7.21 (2001-02) and the lowest 2.63 (2025-26).
What does “domestic burglary reported to the crime survey” measure?
The number of burglaries and attempted burglaries of people's homes that they say they experienced in the survey. It was 0.35 (million crimes a year) in 2025-26, down 15% on 2022-23. The highest we have is 1.42 (2001-02) and the lowest 0.35 (2025-26).
Sources: Home Office, police recorded crime (published by the ONS); ONS, Crime in England and Wales (Crime Survey for England and Wales). Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: Crime overall