According to data from the Police Headquarters, last year there were 40,000 thefts classified as crimes and 278,500 treated as misdemeanors. This is a 22% increase compared to 2022. Losses resulting from theft and security costs amount to the equivalent of EUR 1.7 billion. Most incidents occur in grocery stores, cash & carry stores, shopping malls and petrol stations.
The number of shoplifting incidents is increasing
Analysis of data for 2022 and 2023 shows that the number of shopliftings classified as crimes increased by 22%, from 32,756 cases in 2022 to 40,016 in 2023. Let us recall that the crime is the theft of goods worth over PLN 800 – this limit was raised in October 2023 from PLN 500. This means that fewer thefts qualify as crimes, despite this the data clearly indicate a significant increase. The largest was recorded in the Lubuskie province (by 45.5%), and the smallest in the Świętokrzyskie province (by 5.16%).
– Shoplifting is a serious challenge for shop owners – says Grzegorz Głogowski, Senior Security Manager at Seris Konsalnet. – A few years ago, most shoplifting was committed by thieves who sold stolen goods for profit. – A few years ago, these were more luxurious goods, such as alcohol, perfumes. Now, it is mainly basic food products that are stolen from shops. On weekends, large stores have even several dozen thefts a day.
He adds: – Thieves are becoming more inventive and using various techniques to steal. Apart from transferring barcodes from cheaper products to more expensive ones, the most popular method at the moment is hiding goods in clothes and bags. The behaviour of these people is also evolving – they are more confident and prepared for different scenarios.
Reasons for the increase in theft
The increase in shoplifting may be due to a number of factors. The most important are economic changes, which may encourage more people to commit crimes. Thieves are also encouraged by self-service checkouts, which make it easier to transfer more expensive goods at the price of cheaper ones.
Inadequate security and an insufficient number of security personnel may also contribute to the increase in the number of incidents. Experts predict that the unfortunate trend will continue. This is related to the aforementioned new regulations, but also to the lack of determination of the state to combat the plague of theft. Shops are left to their own devices in this matter and do not fully cope with this topic.
How to protect your store from theft?
In the era of dynamic technological development, the range of possibilities for securing objects against theft is very wide. Effective theft prevention requires synergy of traditional physical protection with the latest technological solutions.
Professional physical protection, especially in larger stores and shopping malls, will significantly reduce the number of incidents. However, it is equally important to implement advanced video monitoring systems and CCTV systems, which will ensure constant supervision and a quick response to suspicious behavior.
