Prolific shoplifters behind more than 28,000 offences, BBC finds
A BBC investigation reveals that a small group of 270 prolific shoplifters is responsible for over 28,000 recorded offences across England. The government is now considering new measures, including technology and court-mandated exclusion orders, to address the high volume of repeat retail crime.
Why it matters
High rates of repeat retail theft place significant financial and emotional burdens on local communities and businesses, prompting a shift in national policing strategy.
Image source, Metropolitan Police Image caption, Prolific shoplifters need to "know that they are going to be punished", the policing minister has said
At the height of his offending, Jeff Ashman estimates he walked out of shops with goods worth £400 to £500 on a daily basis.
"It's mind-boggling," he said, describing how much he had stolen from stores in Hastings to fuel his addiction to heroin and crack cocaine.
"I know the misery and grief and despair that I have caused these people for a long period of time."
Shoplifting is now firmly in the past for Ashman, but prolific shoplifters like him continue to plague communities across England.
We asked police about the 10 suspects their forces had most often linked to shoplifting offences between 2020-21 and 2025-26.
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