Brighton: City's shoplifting epidemic laid bare and map shows hotspots

In the six months to April 2024, the latest data available, there were 1,789 shoplifting incidents in Brighton and Hove, an average of 298 incidents per month.

Of these, there were more than 48 per cent, or 871 incidents, where the police investigation was completed with no suspect identified.

A further 296 ended with police unable to prosecute the suspect.

Chris Neilson, Sussex Police’s business crime lead, said: "Every instance of business crime is one too many and we investigate every report we receive thoroughly."

Just 6.8 per cent of incidents, 123, are awaiting a court outcome – a smaller proportion of which will end in conviction.

Mr Neilson said: "Sussex Police are working closely with businesses to improve reporting and take advantage of technology available to us to identify, arrest and charge suspects, including those prolific offenders who we know cause the greatest harm to our communities.

"We will always follow up on all reasonable lines of enquiry and do all we can to solve as many shopliftings as possible."

Spike in shoplifting 'every summer'

In the last two years, from April 2022 to April 2024, data shows the general trend that shoplifting is rising.

The highest number of incidents recorded in one month over that period was in July 2023, when 404 shoplifting offences were reported to police.

A minimum of around 200 incidents have been reported every month since April 2022.

Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brilliant Brighton, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), said there is a "spike in shoplifting every summer".

He added: "Shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have long been issues in the city centre, and every summer we unfortunately see a spike. The Brilliant Brighton BID ambassadors work closely with Sussex Police and the city’s Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) to gather intelligence and raise awareness of issues in the city centre within the business community."

The majority of shoplifting incidents are concentrated in Brighton city centre, particularly in Queens Road, North Street, Western Road and the Churchill Square shopping centre.

North Street in central Brighton is targeted by shoplifters (Image: Andrew Gardener / The Argus)

READ MORE: Teenagers terrorise city centre with vicious assaults and relentless shoplifting

Feeling the pinch

But business owners across the city are feeling the pinch from the rise in shoplifting.

For Sean Sherman, who runs the post office in Islingword Road, it is “the last straw”.

The branch he took over in 2015 will close on July 27 as the rise in thefts and increased running costs mean it is untenable for him to continue running it.

He has lost more and more of his stock to shoplifting over the years, he said.

“It has been a perfect storm with increased energy costs, mortgage costs. Everything has gone up,” he told The Argus.

“There is only so much you can raise your prices before customers disappear. We were already starting to lose customers during and after Covid.

“You could probably say shoplifting is the last straw.”

Sean said his branch is the key post office in the area and is “certainly the busiest”. “You do wonder how the others will manage in the future,” he said.

Ash Amin, who owns County Oak Post Office in Carden Avenue, said shoplifting affects his business.

"It does occur and it is a problem," he told The Argus.

Ash and his wife Dimple will check stock and sometimes find big losses.

A group of youngsters ransacked County Oak Post Office stealing hundreds of pounds' worth of vapes and lighters from behind the counter last November (Image: Supplied)

The pair have had to resort to using their own security devices to check what is happening.

"With my CCTV I can go back to it and the camera I have does voice recording so I can listen back," said Mr Amin.

"I have to because I can’t afford losses as a small post office."

Retail theft remains 'highly under-reported'

Some of the increases in shoplifting are down to reporting being made easier and more efficient, Sussex Police said.

But retail theft is known to be a highly under-reported crime and the force said it has engaged with the business community and partners to make that reporting easier.

Sussex Police said the force has been using a technology known as one-touch reporting which it is piloting with the Co-op. It allows Co-op stores to use their own software to record a crime and send it to police quickly.

READ: Watch - Hero shopkeeper chases thieving youngsters away with umbrella

'Financial and emotional impact'

Mr Neilson said: "We acknowledge the financial and emotional impact business crime has on owners and employees, and we take each report seriously, irrespective of the value.

"Our dedicated Business Crime Team works incredibly closely with local businesses to share information, gather evidence, and prosecute offenders.

"These positive working relationships have already seen a significant rise in our solved rates, and helped secure numerous arrests, charges, convictions and Criminal Behaviour Orders against some of the most prolific offenders causing harm to our business community.

"We will continue to make reporting shoplifting as easy as possible, and encourage anyone to report to us online or via 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency."

More than £50,000 worth of stolen goods returned in a year

Brilliant Brighton and Sussex Police have been working together to tackle shoplifting in Brighton.

Brilliant Brighton, Sussex Police and the city’s BCRP have returned more than £50,000 worth of stolen good back to shops in Brighton in the past year.

Mr Stewart said: "The team are focused on supporting communities across the city centre and through slow-time planning and detailed information sharing have returned over £50,000 worth of stolen goods back to shops over the last year alone.

"This is particularly helpful for small, independent stores and helps city centre businesses become more sustainable."

'Awaiting court outcome'

More than 120 shoplifting incidents reported to Sussex Police in the six months to April 2024 are awaiting court outcomes.

Craig Cole, 39, of no fixed address admitted to 13 counts of theft across a three-month period in Brighton. He is due to appear before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on July 5 for sentencing. He has a bail condition to not enter any Co-op in Brighton and Hove. 

Recent charges include Jamil Davies, 32, of North Road, Brighton, who has been charged with 18 shoplifting offences in Brighton. He has been given strict bail conditions and is due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on July 26.