NBCC Welcomes Fall in Shop Theft but Says Prevention and Partnership Working Will Be Key to Sustaining Progress

The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), operated by the City of London Police, has welcomed the latest crime statistics showing shop theft has fallen, while warning that continued collaboration between policing, businesses and local partners will be essential to drive retail crime down further.

The figures demonstrate encouraging progress, but retail crime continues to place significant pressure on businesses, employees and communities across England and Wales. The NBCC says the focus must now be on sustaining this momentum through prevention, early intervention and intelligence-led partnership working.

As the national policing lead for business crime, the NBCC works with police forces, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), retailers and industry partners to strengthen the response to retail crime, improve crime prevention and share best practice across the country. One of its key priorities is ensuring businesses have the confidence to report offences and access the support available locally.

Superintendent Lisa Maslen, Lead of the National Business Crime Centre, said: "It's encouraging to see shop theft falling, but these figures also remind us that retail crime remains a significant challenge for businesses and retail workers across the country.

"Enforcement is vital, but lasting success depends on preventing crime before it happens. That means understanding the root causes of offending, supporting businesses to protect themselves, encouraging consistent reporting and ensuring local partners work together to identify and disrupt prolific offenders.

"The National Business Crime Centre exists to bring policing and business together. Every day we support police forces, retailers, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and Business Improvement Districts to share intelligence, develop effective crime prevention initiatives and build the partnerships that make communities safer. When everyone works together, we achieve better outcomes for businesses, employees and the public."

The NBCC continues to support the Government's Tackling Retail Crime Plan through practical guidance, partnership development and national coordination, helping police forces and businesses deliver consistent approaches to preventing and responding to retail crime.

This work will be highlighted again during Safer Business Action (SaBA) Week, taking place from 9 November 2026, when every police force across England and Wales will work alongside BCRPs, BIDs, retailers and the private security industry to tackle retail crime, anti-social behaviour and violence affecting businesses. Last year's week of action resulted in more than 1,100 arrests, over 160 days of coordinated activity and the involvement of more than 4,200 police officers and PCSOs, demonstrating the impact of coordinated national action.

Alongside targeted enforcement, SaBA Week places a strong emphasis on prevention through joint patrols, crime prevention advice, retailer engagement and support for the #ShopKind campaign, which encourages respectful behaviour towards shopworkers and helps raise awareness of the impact that violence and abuse has on those working in retail.

The NBCC believes that combining enforcement with prevention, education and long-term partnership working offers the best opportunity to reduce repeat offending, protect retail workers and create safer town and city centres for everyone.