A dedicated police squad has arrested 93 members of organized shoplifting gangs in the midst of an explosion in retail thefts.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) reported that Operation Pegasus had “impacted 28 organized crime groups and high-harm individuals” who were responsible for more than £4 million in commercial losses.
Among those detained were three brazen shoplifters from west London who were part of a criminal group that stole nearly £200,000 in products from Tesco.
Investigators suspect Laura Miron, 27, OvIliv Firan, 38, and Nicolae Boia, 30, of committing more than 100 offenses against large retailers.
In their most valuable robbery, they stole champagne valued at £4,500 in a single shoplifting session.
The trio received a jail sentence at Guildford Crown Court last month.
Official numbers released in October revealed that shoplifting had reached a new 20-year high.
Forces registered a total of 469,788 crimes in the year to June 2024, up 29% from the previous year’s 365,173, and the highest annual figure since current records began in March 2003.
In November, the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee wrote to policing minister Dame Diana Johnson, expressing concern over the “seriously underreported and not properly tackled” issue of shop theft.
It warned that the situation might undermine trust in the police and the criminal justice system.
Operation Pegasus, which gathers intelligence on retail crime, got 92 referrals from merchants and other organizations, allowing police to identify 228 previously unknown perpetrators.
The team has also found 70 cars used in organized retail crime.
So far, 32 of the 93 arrested offenders have appeared in court, with five deported.
When asked if 93 arrests were sufficient, Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, NPCC lead for acquisitive crime, stated: “We are targeting those prolific offenders who are identified every day in stores across the country, and who the 43 (police) forces are working extremely hard to arrest.”
“It’s much, much more than that; in terms of totality, it’s just 93 arrests from the organized groups that we’ve been able to map in our work with Pegasus.”
Police suspect that offenders purposefully target different geographical locations and shops to escape detection.
Ms. Blakeman stated that “a huge range” of people are involved in the crime, including members of structured gangs and those with alcohol and drug addictions.
“We observe a percentage of stealing and shop theft being pushed by organized crime.
“We also see a proportion of it being driven by offenders who are perhaps alcohol- or drug-dependent, and we also see some of it by people who are first-time entrants.”
She advised anyone purchasing unusually low-cost items at this time of year, rather than from merchants, to be wary of where the goods came from.
“We’re asking the community to think about when they buy something, especially at this time of year; if it isn’t from the retailer and it seems incredibly cheap, it probably has a background that you should be suspicious of and not purchase,” she pointed out.
According to Paul Gerrard, the Co-op’s head of campaigns and public affairs, the company has noticed a difference since the crackdown began.
He added: “As a community-based retailer we know working in partnership with the police is how we can continue to tackle retail crime together – neither business nor police can solve this alone.
“Co-op turned a spotlight on the involvement of organised criminality driving the increase in retail crime and our commitment to local stores and investing to make our communities safer places which can thrive and prosper remains a priority.”