By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
Kent has experienced a “stark” increase in shoplifting and retail robbery in the past year, according to new figures.
The number of thefts from stores in the 12 months between June 2024 and 2025 rose by 9.1% from 15,664 to 17,091.
Kent Police Chief Constable Tim Smith said the force’s 3.8% increase of “solved” offences (to 32.1%) makes Kent one of the best in the country, although its recording of such criminal activity remains a focus.
A new Home Office-defined classification of “business robbery” has seen what appears to be a huge increase of 244% from 68 crimes last year to 234 to June 2025.
Mr Smith conceded the figures around retail crime were “really, really stark in themselves” but have to be seen in the context of the way the crimes are now counted.
A “business robbery” is where a thief uses or threatens force on a person (usually a shop worker) before or at the time of the theft. The newly classified offences would have previously been recorded as shoplifting.
The Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott said: “It will ensure that those working in the retail industry are afforded the corresponding protection and the perpetrators are held to account for their actions by the wider criminal justice system.”
The figures are contained in the Chief Constable’s report to Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s Performance and Delivery Board, which sat yesterday morning (September 16).
Kent Police’s performance overall in the period under discussion was generally positive.
Serious violence, defined as homicide and violence with injury offences, in the year to June 2025, saw a 7.3% decrease with 1,231 fewer offences.
Victim-based crime was down by 4.1% with 5,800 fewer offences for the rolling year to June 2025 compared to the same period last year. The most recent quarter April – June 2025 saw a decrease of 7.2% with 2,584 less offences.
Overall rape and serious sexual offences experienced an increase of 1.9% with 92 more for the period to June 2025. While the increase is seen in serious sexual offences, up 4.1% (+112), rapes were down by 20 or 1%.
Knife crimes fell from 959 to 874 year on year, a decrease of nearly 9% but the latest quarter figures are up slightly by 3.3%.
Domestic abuse was down by 4.2% (1,224 offences from 28,881 to 27,657) to June 2025.
With antisocial behaviour, there was a 0.9% decrease (262 incidents) for the rolling year, falling from 27,974 to 27,712.
But the report notes the most recent quarter has seen a 7.5% increase for April–June 2025 compared to the same three months last year, with 581 more incidents.
The report says: “The most notable increase for the quarter is in neighbour dispute incidents, up 15.6% (+129) and drunken or rowdy behaviour, up 15.2% (+222). The month of June 2025 seeing the highest volume of incidents for both call types, this may be attributable to the warmer weather…”
The report highlights the issue of rural crime with offences dropping 9.1% from 658 to 598, mostly concerned with the theft of farming equipment.
The papers note: “Although there has been a reduction in recorded offences, the solved rate for the rolling year is up to 3.0% from 2.9% last year with 18 offences solved for the rolling year.”
The report says rural crime covers a range of offences in “non-urban areas” including agricultural theft, livestock rustling, fly-tipping, and wildlife crimes.
But it also says: “Due to the changing landscape of wards in Kent, those that may have once been classed as rural, land and housing development may now class them as an urban area. Kent Police is not able to define rural or urban wards currently.”
The current figures, under Home Office counting rules, are those offences of “theft of agricultural / farming equipment and wildlife offences…”
But Tim Bamford, Regional Director of CLA South East which represents farmers and rural businesses across Kent, said: “Any drop in the number of offences is welcome, but hundreds of incidents are being recorded every year and many more go unreported.
“The Garden of England is also a fly-tipping hotspot, with more than 26,000 incidents reported on public land alone last year – up 5% year-on-year, with some districts and boroughs suffering rises of up to 20%.”
The Chief Constable’s report shows residential burglaries have fallen year on year by 19.4%, a decrease from 3,027 to 2,440.
Vehicle crime, that is motor theft and stealing from cars, has seen a fall of 14,8% (1,230 fewer crimes) over the past year.
“Kent Police Chief Constable Tim Smith said the force’s 3.8% increase of “solved” offences (to 32.1%) makes Kent one of the best in the country, although its recording of such criminal activity remains a focus.”
In other words. Nearly 7 out of 10 (11600ish thefts) go “unsolved”!
The Chief Constable must be very proud.
Kent Police Chief Constable Tim Smith said the force’s 3.8% increase of “solved” offences (to 32.1%) makes Kent one of the best in the country, although its recording of such criminal activity remains a focus.
How much double speak is there in that statement? “Solved” could we have a definition? Because if people thought there was nearly a 1 in 3 chance of being caught and punished they would probably not do it. Then “0ne of the best in the country” given the above and no parameters as to how different forces record things, hardly something to applaud. Then we are told that how such crime is recorded is under focus, so it’s obviously disputed.
Then on top of all that , most retailers don’nt bother reporting shoplifting and how much more occurs unnoticed?
No mention of action on criminal food delivery drivers? The recent action locally had 11 people reported for 22 stops, so obviously an area of high crime.
Last but not least any chance of a crackdown on the number of defective vehicles, those lacking insurance,tax,mot etc and illegal drivers.