Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to support the Crown Prosecution Service in pursuing shop-lifting cases.

The Government has demonstrated its commitment to tackling retail crime and vehicle theft through the Crime and Policing Act 2026. Once commenced, the Act removes the £200 low-value threshold for shoplifting, meaning the maximum sentence for shop theft is seven years, regardless of the value of the stolen items. It also introduces two new offences covering the possession, importation, making, adapting, or supply of electronic devices, such as signal jammers, for use in vehicle theft or theft from a vehicle. The maximum penalty is five years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

The Crown Prosecution Service continues to work closely with policing partners and the Home Office to support the effective prosecution of retail crime and the management of prolific offenders. This includes joint work to improve the use and effectiveness of Criminal Behaviour Orders to tackle serious and persistent anti-social behaviour.

The Crown Prosecution Service makes prosecution decisions independently, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the facts of each case.