This is the highest number since records began in 2003.

Retail organizations believe the actual number of incidents is higher than reported.

Additionally, personal theft, which includes pickpocketing and bag snatching, reached its highest level since 2004.

Police have been dealing with an unprecedented amount of such cases.

A retailer in Tenby, South Wales, named Fiona Malone shared with the BBC that her family-owned convenience store and Post Office lost approximately £26,000 due to shoplifting last year.

Despite placing high-value items behind the counter, items such as wine, beer, and bread continued to disappear from the shop floor.

The financial impact on their small business was significant, and Malone emphasized that every stolen item, regardless of its value, adds up and has a substantial effect on their profits.

Ms. Malone uses AI technology and headsets for her shop staff to monitor and report suspicious activity.

She expressed sadness about the need for such measures but is willing to help those in need instead of criminalizing them.