Police forces across England and Wales will target hundreds of prolific shoplifters under a new £2.5m pilot scheme.
Up to 16 forces are expected to participate in the programme, which will focus resources on repeat offenders responsible for a disproportionate amount of retail crime.
Each participating force will identify approximately 30 of the most prolific offenders operating in its area.
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Police will then work with probation services, retailers, councils, health providers and other local organisations to create individual plans aimed at preventing further offences, as reported by Need To Know.
The measures could combine stronger enforcement with support addressing factors linked to repeat offending, including drug or alcohol dependency, unemployment, poor health and insecure housing.
The programme is expected to begin in phases during early 2027 before operating for a full 12 months from the spring.
Participating forces are set to include the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police and West Yorkshire Police.
The pilot was announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during Safer Business Action Week, which runs from November 9 to 15.
It follows government analysis showing that 9% of prolific offenders were responsible for 52% of all criminal convictions between 2000 and 2021.
The scheme will test whether closer coordination between police and other services can reduce repeat offending while improving safety for shop workers, businesses and customers.
Police-recorded shoplifting fell by 4% in the year ending March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics.
A total of 507,086 offences were recorded, compared with 530,324 during the previous year.
However, the ONS cautioned that shoplifting remains significantly underreported and that changes in police recording and reporting by retailers can affect the figures.
The pilot will build on the Retail Crime Action Plan, which was introduced in 2023 to improve cooperation and information sharing between police and retailers.
Evidence gathered during the new prolific-offender pilot will be used to inform any future national approach to repeat retail crime.
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