Wiltshire Police have recently clarified their stance on shoplifting incidents, addressing concerns from local businesses that officers would only attend incidents involving thefts over £200.
The police are encouraging retailers to report all instances of shoplifting, regardless of the item's value, to help prevent losses and investigate leads.
As of February 2025, the £200 threshold for trying shoplifting cases in magistrates' courts has been removed, allowing cases to be tried in Crown Court with a maximum sentence of up to 7 years imprisonment.
Wiltshire Police say that they will investigate all reported incidents, and businesses can report crimes by calling 101 or 999 in emergencies, or through the police website.
Inspector Oakley, lead for Business Crime for Wiltshire Police said: "Shop theft of any amount is illegal. It should not be dismissed as a victimless, lower-level crime.
"We recognise this crime is under-reported and we encourage retailers to work with us by reporting all instances of shoplifting, no matter the value of the items. It is vital retail crimes are reported to Wiltshire Police so that all leads can be investigated and loss to businesses in our county can be prevented.”
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