Underreporting of shoplifting could explain drop
Reported crime in Kingston town centre fell by around 11% in January compared with the same month last year, according to the latest Metropolitan Police data.
A total of 327 offences were recorded in January 2026, down from 366 in January 2025. Shoplifting remained the most common offence, despite a drop in incidents from 99 to 72 over the same period.
Commenting on the data, The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said shop theft remains a major issue nationwide, despite recent reductions in some areas.
Lucy Whing, the BRC’s Crime Policy Advisor, told The Kingston Courier: “Retailers have invested £5bn over the past five years in fighting crime, and these initiatives are starting to make a difference in some areas in bringing levels down.”
However, the BRC added that shoplifting is still widely underreported, which could partially explain the drop. There is a persistent belief among retailers that police do not investigate thefts below £200, considering these to be “low-level”.
Data sets from January 2025 and 2026 showing reported crimes in the Kingston Town area. Source: Police.uk. Graphics: Matthew Smith
Crime and Policing Bill to remove “perceived immunity” of low-level thieves
The soon-to-be-passed Crime and Policing Bill is expected to remove the perceived immunity for shop theft under £200 by repealing Section 22A of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, along with the legislation that introduced it.
This would mean all shoplifting offences are treated as ‘general theft’ – an either way offence carrying a maximum sentence of seven years – rather than being dealt with summarily in magistrates’ courts unless the defendant requests a jury trial.
Shoplifting accounted for more than a fifth of all recorded offences in Kingston Town. Violence and sexual offences saw a slight decrease, falling from 73 to 71 incidents year-on-year.
Anti-social behaviour also declined, dropping from 50 cases to 37, while offences grouped under “all other crime” rose slightly from 144 to 147.
The figures suggest an overall reduction in crime in the town centre, although levels remain relatively high across several categories, with retail theft continuing to make up a significant share.
The BRC’s latest crime report recorded 5.5 million shoplifting incidents nationwide in 2025.
Crime data published on police.uk is updated monthly and reflects incidents recorded by local forces. Year-on-year comparisons provide a clearer indication of trends in areas such as Kingston.
