South Wales Police force—which covers the Vale of Glamorgan—has one of the highest shoplifting rates in the UK.

The force recorded 12,719 shoplifting crimes in 2023, putting it seventh in the UK for the highest shoplifting rate.

This equates to 9.5 shoplifting crimes per 1,000 people—33 per cent more than the UK average and 44 per cent more than the Welsh average.

South Wales Police also has the highest rate of shoplifting among the Welsh police forces.

The area that recorded the most shoplifting crimes was Cathays in Cardiff, which accounted for 11 per cent of all shoplifting crimes in the South Wales Police area.

Other areas with high levels of shoplifting were Castle in Swansea with 988 crimes, Adamsdown in Cardiff with 387, and Grangetown in Cardiff with 365.

The worst month for shoplifting in the South Wales area was October, with 1,278 crimes logged, while February had the fewest, with 811.

Laura Court-Jones, small business editor at business comparison site Bionic, said: "Overall, our study highlights a concerning rise in shoplifting across the UK, with businesses in the South Wales Police area being particularly vulnerable to this spike.

"The recent increase in theft—up by 26 per cent YoY in the UK—is undoubtedly linked to the current economic pressures, as people struggle with the cost of living.

"For businesses in the South Wales area, this impact can be devastating, especially for those without the resources to invest in things like security measures and using physical deterrents."