The city's shoplifting epidemic has been laid bare with the number of incidents hitting nearly 300 a month. 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 ever.