Revealed: The 10 UK high streets hit hardest by rising Christmas shoplifting

The UK is facing a growing shoplifting crisis, with store thefts becoming increasingly challenging for businesses to manage.

Recent ONS figures show offences have risen to their highest level on record. A total of 516,971 incidents were recorded in the year to December 2024, representing a 20% year-on-year increase, with a stark warning the financial impact is estimated to exceed £2.2bn a year.

With the festive period approaching, UK security specialists Spy Alarms have analysed police-recorded data from December 2024 to understand where shoplifting surged most significantly during the peak trading season.

While the data reflects last year, its relevance is heightened this winter - shoplifting has continued to rise throughout 2025, suggesting that many of last year’s hardest-hit locations are likely to face another high-risk festive season.

A list of the places in the UK most affected sees Birmingham at the top, with 1,080 incidents recorded there in 2024. This figure is more than eight times the national average, highlighting the intense seasonal pressure faced by retailers and businesses across the city during the Christmas period.

Leeds (750 incidents), Westminster (563) and Sheffield (458) also feature prominently among the hardest-hit areas. Leeds’ position reflects growing pressures across West Yorkshire, while Westminster continues to be London’s worst-affected borough for retail theft.

In fact, seven London boroughs appear in the national Top 20, showing how increased shoplifting is not limited to a handful of hotspots but is felt across the capital’s high streets and shopping districts.

The UK’s surge in festive shoplifting mirrors a global spike in retail crime, with new international data showing that shoplifting incidents rise sharply around the world during peak shopping months.

Despite a slight dip in December to 35,419 incidents, global retail theft remains significantly elevated during the festive season, making it one of the highest-risk periods worldwide.