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SHOPLIFTING FOR CHRISTMAS >>

HOW CRIMINALS PROFIT FROM THE FESTIVE SEASON.

By Professor Joshua Bamfield and Hollie Franks, Centre for Retail Research Nottingham

For six weeks from mid-November, thieves will steal £447 million from retailers in Britain and €3215 million in Europe as a whole. Christmas is the peak of the shoplifting season.

Christmas losses are equivalent to a tax upon spending of £22.34 per family in the UK and €32.43 in Europe. Britain tops the league for Christmas shoplifting. The figure for Ireland is €33.41 and for Scotland £21.24.

58.7% of shoplifters are males in contrast to the stereotype of shoplifting being predominantly female. Females stole slightly more than males.

Christmas patterns of shoplifting mimicked orthodox Christmas shopping, highly-promoted lines suffered particularly heavily from theft.

The report lists in order the shoplifting Top Ten this Christmas. The most stolen items were spirits, mainly Scotch Whisky, Jack Daniels, vodka, and brandy along with 'party drinks' such as alcopops, bacardi and gin.


Woman's clothing and lingerie were important, followed by cosmetics, toiletries and aftershave.

WHO STEALS AT CHRISTMAS?

• Age of Shoplifters

The peak age of offending is between 21-25 years (slightly older than the rest of the year) The average offender is aged 23½ years.

• Most shoplifters are male
  Although shoplifting is conventionally considered to be a female occupation, the evidence from retailers is that two-thirds of offenders are male. Last Christmas

• Proportion of male offenders 58.7%
  
• Proportion of female offenders 41.3%

We expect similar proportions of male:female offenders in the coming Christmas.

• The number of shoplifters likely to be apprehended
  Around 80,000 offenders will be apprehended by retailers in the UK this Christmas and for Western Europe as a whole the figure is expected to be 228,000.

• The Average Value Stolen
  The average value of property stolen by females is slightly higher than that of males (£78.29 compared to £76.12).

This Christmas, therefore, we expect

• Male shoplifters in the UK to steal £259.3 million from shops
  
• Female shoplifters in the UK to steal £187.7 million from shops.

In Western Europe, we expect

• Male shoplifters to steal £1174.8 million (€1864.7 million) from shops Female shoplifters to steal goods worth £850.7 million (€1350.3 million) from shops

The Centre has figures for every European country including Ireland, as well as Scotland and Wales.

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