Shoplifters in a seaside resort feel they have “nothing to lose” and will get away with it, a security guard has said. The stark reality of Britain’s rising retail crime has been laid bare by one of those on the front line, as figures show almost 290,000 shoplifting cases went unsolved in the UK in 2024-25.
Kane Manning has been a security guard in the seaside city of Brighton for two years. He told the Daily Express: “I’ve seen the elderly, young people, women coming in and stealing. They sell it on to make money or buy drugs. They always come back. They think they have nothing to lose.”
He described thwarting would-be thieves who tried snatching £800 worth of meat and £1,000 of chocolate in two attempted raids. Mr Manning estimated there were 10 to 30 attempted thefts per day at his store alone.
The 27-year-old said security guards need more powers to deter thieves, who he said can’t be touched despite staff knowing they have stolen something. He said shop workers aren’t allowed to block exits to prevent culprits escaping.
Under the current rules, shoplifters can only be challenged by security when they have been spotted leaving a shop and it is then clear a crime has been committed.
Mr Manning said: “Some get really aggressive. I’ve had death threats, abuse. You don’t know how people are going to react or what’s going to happen. It’s a daily risk. I’m just trying to do my job.
“I can only man-handle them for particular reasons – if they attack staff or damage property. But you want to de-escalate, not escalate. They could pull out a knife.”
He added: “Shoplifters know the law isn’t tough, that’s why they keep doing it. They will start to think twice when the Government changes the law and there are tougher punishments.”
The security worker described speaking to one person challenged for shoplifting who told him he did it because he could get away with it, telling Mr Manning, “Justice is cr**”.
Under proposals being laid before Parliament next month, shoplifters could avoid prison altogether as ministers look to ease Britain’s prison overcrowding crisis.
Mr Manning said: “Justice needs to be tougher, otherwise it will get worse and worse. I just want to protect businesses and stop these criminals.”
He considered whether security guards could be equipped with batons, tasers and handcuffs to crack down on thieves, but said he couldn’t see that happening.
His comments came as House of Commons library analysis for the Liberal Democrats showed 55.5% of investigations in England and Wales failed to identify a suspect, while just 18.3% resulted in a charge.
Some 289,464 cases were closed with no suspect across forces in England and Wales in 2024-25, up from 245,337 in 2023-24. On average 793 offences a day went unsolved, according to the number crunchers.
Separate analysis from the Daily Mail showed Brighton topping a study of beach crime. Four crimes a day were recorded on the city’s beach last year. There were more than 1,500 crimes or anti-social behaviour such as drinking, littering and begging.
Nearly four in 10 crimes or reports of anti-social behaviour were of a violent or sexual nature. Around three in 10 recorded were of theft, robbery, burglary or shoplifting.
Earlier this month, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber suggested shoppers should intervene if they spot someone stealing. Mr Barber told BBC he was not suggesting the public should tackle shoplifting instead of the police.
But he said they could report it to police or staff, film it on their mobile phone, shout at the thief and “some people will feel able to physically intervene”.
Official figures published last month for all forces showed the number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales had climbed to a record high last year.
Some 530,643 offences were logged in 2024-25, up 20% from 444,022 in 2023-24 and the highest total since current police recording practices began in 2002-03.
MP Joshua Reynolds said: “These shameful figures show that the police are failing to crack down on the shoplifting epidemic facing our country.”
The Lib-Dem added: “The suggestion by a Conservative police chief that it’s up to the public to stop shoplifters was both reckless and dangerous. I’ve worked in retail so I know what it feels like to have to confront shoplifters – it’s frightening and it’s dangerous.”
Lucy Whing, crime policy adviser at the British Retail Consortium said in some areas of the country, shoplifting is carried out by organised crime groups.
She told the Telegraph: “They come in with weapons and head straight for high-value goods – alcohol, cigarettes, electronics. We also see theft linked to addiction, with people taking items to sell on.”
Retail bosses previously warned shop theft was spiralling out of control and business owners needed to see immediate results. Ministers have pledged thousands more officers for neighbourhood policing by next spring.
The Government’s Crime and Policing bill will also remove the “perceived immunity” for the theft from shops of goods valued at £200 or less.
