Matt Knight

A senior Essex Police officer urges political leaders to support efforts to tackle rising shoplifting, rejecting claims that thefts under £200 go uninvestigated. He highlights thousands of charges brought last year and improved solve rates, crediting initiatives such as Operation Retail and neighbourhood policing partnerships. Political figures Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage have raised shoplifting as a national issue, but police argue such comments undermine public confidence in enforcement.