Research by G4S Security Services has found that the increase in the cost of living this year has driven nearly one million UK residents to consider giving their friends and relative stolen gifts this Christmas.
The study found that 2.6 million British adults aged between 16 and 64 have admitted to shoplifting over the last 12 months, which represents a 30 per cent increase on last year, with losses estimated at £783 million.
The research also reveals that four per cent of British adults would consider shoplifting if they lost their job, with the figure rising to ten per cent among the 16 to 24 age group.
G4S Security Services says that every year around 36,000 British adults each steal over £25,000 and constitute a ‘hard-core’ of criminal, often regular drug users, who steal to order.
Source: Retail Bulletin