Shoplifting incidents and outcomes: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the following information covering the period 01 January 2020 to date, by calendar year:

1. Shoplifting incidents and outcomes

• The number of recorded shoplifting incidents.
• The number and/or proportion of those incidents which resulted in:

a) prosecution,
b) a fiscal fine or other fiscal disposal,
c) no further action / no proceedings.

2. Fiscal fines for shoplifting

• The total value of fiscal fines issued for shoplifting.
• The total value and percentage of those fiscal fines which remain unpaid.

3. Internal briefings and risk assessments

• Copies of any internal briefings, reports, risk assessments or similar documents produced since 1 January 2023 which:
• assess trends in shoplifting or retail crime; and/or
• consider the impact of shoplifting on retailers, staff safety or public confidence; and/or
• assess the effectiveness of fiscal fines or other disposals in responding to shoplifting.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the response below and provided attachments.

1. Shoplifting incidents and outcomes

Some of the information you have requested, regarding the number of recorded shoplifting incidents is available in the latest Official Statistics on Recorded Crime in Scotland. Data can be found in Table 1 of the accompanying tables, which shows Local Authority level breakdowns as well as Scotland level figures.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information regarding the number/proportion of those incidents that resulted in prosecution or a fiscal fine or other fiscal disposal. The statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

In Tables 1 and 2 provided within the attached Excel document, we have included information on the number of people proceeded against and convicted for Theft by shoplifting, where this was the main crime, in the ten year period, 2014-15 to 2023-24. It should be noted that the main crime refers to the most serious charge proceeded against within a single proceeding.

For incidents which resulted in no further action/no proceedings, information can be calculated using the Accredited Official Statistics on Recorded Crime in Scotland under the Official Statistics section on clear up rates. Data can be found in Table 3 of the accompanying tables.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you paper copies.

2. Fiscal fines for shoplifting

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold data on fiscal fine amounts, nor whether they have been paid. We recommend that you contact Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for further information.

We are, however, able to provide information on the number of fiscal fines/disposals issued by type for Theft of Shoplifting in the ten period, 2014-15 to 2023-24. This can be found in Table 3 in the attached Excel document.

3. Internal briefings and risk assessments

Please see the attached Annex A for copies of the relevant documents requested. Exemptions under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA apply to some of the information you have requested and information has been redacted accordingly.

38(1)(b) - Third party personal data

The information contains the personal data of a third party. This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

The following published information may also be useful to you in answering your request:

• Parliamentary Question response: To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on retail crime trends broken down by region, crime type and outcomes, and whether it will publish any such data.
• Research into crimes against Retail workers, published as part of the Accredited Official Statistics on Recorded Crime in Scotland.
• Occasional Paper: The Cost Crisis and Crime in Scotland.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you paper copies.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500493145 - Information released - Annex A

File type

PDF

File size

486.2 kB

FOI 202500493145 - Information released - Response Tables

File type

Excel document

File size

23.5 kB