The tiny seaside town where shoplifting is more than 5 times higher than safest UK city

Britain’s £2.2bn shoplifting epidemic is in danger of destroying high streets by plunging hard-pressed retailers into expensive safety measures. But while an Express survey found that 100% of major retailers experienced the crime wave in the past month a new study has revealed the devastating impact it is having on smaller towns and cities, adding pressure on shop owners, high streets and over-stretched police forces.

Theft can occur anywhere but new data shows that some cities are experiencing far higher levels than others, when adjusted for population size. The new report by LEI Register has ranked UK areas based on the number of recorded shoplifting incidents per 10,000 residents, using the most recent official data. By standardising the figures against population, the research reveals where theft is proportionally most concentrated and where it remains comparatively rare.

At the top of the table is the Sussex town of Worthing, recording a striking 231.79 incidents per 10,000 people, the highest rate in the country. The seaside town’s dense retail core and strong visitor footfall may help explain why it ranks first overall on this metric. Lincoln ranks second with 215.35 incidents per 10,000, while Mansfield comes third at 208.27, both posting rates above 200 and firmly positioning themselves among the UK’s most affected areas per capita. Hartlepool ranks fourth with 203.95, continuing the trend of smaller urban centres showing particularly high proportional rates.

Rounding out the top five is Nottingham, where 174.78 incidents per 10,000 residents places it fifth nationally and makes it the highest-ranking larger city in the study. In sixth place is Cambridge with 167.31, followed closely by Crawley at 166.19. Cardiff ranks eighth with 155.35, while Bournemouth (148.58) and Dundee (147.73) complete the top 10.

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Each of these areas stands out specifically for their high per-capita shoplifting figures, suggesting that busy retail districts, student populations and strong visitor numbers may be key contributing factors behind their elevated rankings.

At the other end of the scale, Hereford records the lowest shoplifting rate in the UK, with just 43.87 incidents per 10,000 people, giving it the strongest performance on this metric nationwide. It is followed by Lancaster (47.33), Winchester (47.54), Bury (47.57) and Salford (48.23), all of which report fewer than 50 incidents per 10,000 residents. Their comparatively low figures suggest that smaller retail footprints, different demographic make-ups or stronger community-level deterrents may be helping to keep shoplifting levels down.

The study ranks UK cities based on shoplifting incidents per 10,000 people. Data was collated from official sources including the ONS, NISRA, and the Scottish Government. Rankings reflect the most recent available figures for reported shoplifting across the country.

The findings come after a shocking indictment of the "shoplifting epidemic" gripping the nation was exposed by the Express’s Stop The Shoplifters campaign, which found that not a single one of the UK’s top 100 retailers escaped the onslaught of theft, abuse, or cyber-attacks over the past 12 months.

Consequently, hard-pressed British families are being warned they will pay a hefty “crime tax” bill for the criminal free-for-all as stores scramble to turn their premises into high-tech fortresses. Nearly half of retailers – 48% - have admitted they will be forced to hike prices to cover the soaring cost of security.

Perran Jervis, partner and head of retail and consumer goods at TLT, said: “The social and economic consequences of this issue cannot be underestimated.

“The report highlights how the industry is innovating to address these challenges, but many retailers do not have the capacity, financially or operationally, to tackle this alone so collaborative action and government support are essential to create a lasting solution to the problem.”

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