Shoplifting in England and Wales has reached its highest level since current records began, with 530,643 offences logged in the year to March 2025, a 20% jump on the previous 12-month period, according to the Office for National Statistics. Retail groups say organised gangs are exploiting gaps in policing, costing businesses and customers an estimated £2.2 billion annually. Amid mounting frustration, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber told a public meeting that citizens have a "duty" to confront thieves, arguing those who do nothing are "part of the problem." He later clarified he was not asking people to “rugby-tackle every perceived criminal,” but urged shop staff to try to prevent thieves leaving the premises while calling the police. Barber’s remarks drew swift condemnation. Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds branded the advice "dangerous and irresponsible," while Policing and Crime Minister Dame Diana Johnson said she would not advise members of the public to tackle offenders, stressing instead that “theft is theft” and should be reported immediately. The dispute comes as the government prepares its Crime and Policing Bill, which pledges extra patrols in 500 town centres, 3,000 more neighbourhood officers by next spring, and a new offence for assaulting retail workers. Retailers and pharmacy owners, 88% of whom report a rise in shoplifting, say police must pair higher visibility with faster responses if the surge in theft is to be curbed.