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Produced by the Sentencing Academy

Snapshot 23

Theft from a Shop

Bringing together relevant statistics and trends relating to sentencing

by Annalena Wolcke

Last updated: Sep 2026

Overview

  • Sentencing Council guideline range: discharge to a 3-year prison sentence1
  • Maximum sentence: 7-years’ imprisonment (6-months maximum for shoplifting of goods worth £200 or less)
  • Convictions fell between 2015-2021, but have since increased. Between 2021 and 2025, convictions increased by 162%
  • Convictions in 2025: 47,725
  • This snapshot summarises key trends over the past 5 years

Sentences Imposed

Figure 1: Sentences for Shoplifting, 2021-2025

  • 27% of convictions resulted in a term of immediate imprisonment.2
  • A further 22% resulted in a Community Order.3

Figure 2: Sentences Imposed for Shoplifting, 2021-2025

  • The custody rate for shoplifting increased by 22% over the last 5 years.
  • Community Orders and fines decreased by 17% and 15% respectively.

Immediate Prison Sentence Lengths

Figure 3: Prison Sentence Lengths, Shoplifting, 2025

  • The most frequent sentence range is up to 2 months, accounting for over 60% of all immediate custodial sentences.
  • 38% of prison sentences are over 2 months.

Sentencing Outcomes by Sex

Figure 4: Sentencing Outcomes by Sex, Shoplifting, 2025

  • Female (n=11,807); Male (n=34,961)
  • In 2025, the custody rate for shoplifting was higher for men (31%) than for women (19%).

These rates do not account for various factors that influence sentencing decisions, such as the offender’s criminal history and the seriousness of the specific offence. Additional research would be needed to determine whether gender affected the sentence imposed.

This Snapshot is one of a series on sentencing trends in England & Wales. Others can be found here. For further information, contact Annalena Wolcke at [email protected]

  1. Official offence name: theft from a shop or stall ↩︎
  2. Data source for all figures: Data calculated from Ministry of Justice (2026), Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2025, published 30th of April. Outcomes by offence data tool, Table 2. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly-december-2025. ↩︎
  3. ‘Other sanctions’ include: absolute discharge, and the category ‘otherwise dealt with’ ↩︎