A new plan aims to treat shoplifting as organized crime in England and Wales. A specialized team of analysts and officers will gather intelligence on criminal gangs involved in shoplifting, with major retailers like John Lewis, Tesco, and the Co-op contributing almost £800,000 to fund this effort under "Project Pegasus." The focus is to build intelligence on organized crime groups behind shoplifting incidents and use facial recognition technology to target offenders.

This initiative also includes police commitments to attend more crime scenes, prioritize cases involving violence against shop workers, and enhance evidence collection. While welcomed by retailers and industry associations, it's noted that arresting thieves and preventing reoffending remain challenges.

Shoplifting offenses have increased by 25% compared to the previous year, although they're still below pre-pandemic levels. However, not all shoplifting incidents are reported to the police, suggesting the actual number may be higher.