Figures from the Home Office show there’s been a steady 8% increase in recorded incidents of shoplifting to police in Cumbria between March 2024 and March 2025.
For example, in the year ending March 2025, there were 2,428 cases of the crime recorded by police – up from 2,250 in the year ending March 2024.
On the severity of shoplifting in the region, Cumbria Police said its officers are working with representatives from businesses in the area to catch those who are carrying out such crimes.
Furthermore, they recognise that shoplifting is “far from a victimless crime” and that it can have serious consequences on businesses in the area.
“All such offending adds up,” said a Cumbria Police spokesperson, “no matter whether the business targeted is a small independent shop or a chain.
“We strongly encourage people who witness such offending taking place, as well as those people who work in shops, to report it immediately so that action can be taken.”
However, in other recent developments, the supermarket chain Iceland Foods, which has stores across Cumbria, announced that it would be taking matters into its own hands regarding tackling the plight of shoplifting.
The supermarket is now urging shoppers to report anyone they see carrying out the crime to staff in store.
In return for this, shoppers could receive a £1 gift reward that could be added to their store bonus cards.
In a statement, Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods, called shoplifting a “plague” and said that the issue was now not only impacting major cities, but “our market towns and villages too.”
Nevertheless, Cumbria Police still urge the public to report cases to them.
They said: “The more accurate the information we have for offending in a local area, the more intelligence we have to ensure we resource areas appropriately.”