UK police to pilot scheme targeting prolific retail crime offenders

Police forces across England and Wales are set to participate in a new pilot scheme targeting repeat retail crime offenders, following an announcement by the Home Secretary during Safer Business Action Week.

The Prolific Retail Offender Pilot will involve up to 16 police force areas and aims to test a more intensive, multi-agency approach to reducing repeat offending and improving outcomes for retailers and local communities.

The initiative follows a 4 percent drop in police-recorded shop theft in the year to March 2026, however, it was suggested that a relatively small group of prolific offenders continues to account for a significant proportion of retail crime.

ACC Alex Goss, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for retail crime, said the programme would provide additional support to tackle offenders causing harm to businesses, workers and communities.

He added: "Nationally, we will continue to work closely with the Home Office and police forces to support development and implementation of the pilot and build on the progress already being delivered to tackle retail crime.”

Alongside the pilot, policing’s national intelligence unit Opal is continuing to work against organised retail crime. In the past six months, the team received 69 referrals, developed 53 cases and adopted 19 operations, resulting in 145 identified offenders and 30 arrests.

Since its creation in May 2024, Opal has adopted 103 operations, leading to 287 arrests and 221 court outcomes, including custodial sentences totalling more than 129 years.