Cambridgeshire Police said shoplifting reports have risen by nearly a quarter this year, with offenders including older, affluent residents targeting retailers such as John Lewis. CCTV footage released by the force shows a mother and daughter concealing clothes in handbags, a woman slipping perfume into a shopping bag, and another stuffing items in the lingerie section.
PC Emily-Jayne Matthews told ITV News Anglia:
“These aren’t people stealing out of necessity. They’re in professional jobs, taking high-end items like clothing and perfume simply for the thrill.”
To combat the trend, Matthews launched “Wanted Wednesday” on Facebook, posting photos of suspects. She said public exposure has prompted some shoplifters to hand themselves in. One woman banned from John Lewis and Waitrose even complained she no longer knew where to do her “weekly food shop”.
The pattern is not confined to Cambridgeshire. Earlier this year, Surrey business owners reported thefts by “well-off, middle-aged women”, while Waitrose staff claimed “well-dressed mothers” and grammar school pupils were walking out with wine and chocolate.
Former Met Police sergeant Graham Wetton said the trend reflected a shift from necessity-driven thefts to opportunistic crime:
“The goods being stolen have gone beyond survival to what people fancy. There’s a thrill to getting something for nothing and it now includes well-to-do people.”
Wetton added that offenders were emboldened by lax deterrents and the widespread perception that shoplifters rarely face serious consequences. Many are simply given bans or asked to pay for the stolen items.
He warned that without stronger security measures and quicker prosecutions, shoplifting would continue to rise:
“It’s not that we suddenly have more criminals, it’s ordinary people seeing an opportunity. If there were clearer consequences, as in my day, fewer would risk it.”
