Retail experts believe opportunist thieves have been deterred by extra security Shoplifters make off with goods worth almost £400,000 every day, according to British retailers.
The year-on-year cost of thefts to High Street stores across the UK has soared from £99m to £137m, they say.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said items including TVs, computer games and clothes totalling £375,342 were stolen from shelves every day.
However researchers uncovered an 11% drop in crime per 100 outlets compared with the previous year.
The survey also found more than 18,000 staff up and down the country reported they were attacked or suffered verbal abuse.
The trade body, which represents retailers, said the average price tag of goods stolen in one theft had increased from £45 to £70.
It believed organised gangs of thieves who steal more valuable hauls were responsible for the rising figure.
Figures were based on a survey of 54 retailers who employ more than 1.3m staff, representing almost half of Britain’s retail turnover.
Stephen Robertson, of the consortium, said a fall in offences reflected the increased investment of security measures by some stores.
“It’s encouraging to see this having a positive impact on the number of shoplifting offences but the cost to retailers still went up,” he added.
“Retailers’ extra investment in stopping crime has deterred a lot of opportunist thefts leaving a higher proportion of determined, organised thieves who take a greater value of goods each time they steal.”
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