Prolific shoplifters behind more than 28,000 offences, BBC finds

Laurissa Woolgar said: "My colleagues have been wrestled with as they've tried to get items off [them]. "Post-pandemic, we have seen what's been described as a shoplifting epidemic on the streets of the UK," she said."What we are seeing is organised criminals stealing very specific items, clearing entire shelves and selling that on to other markets, maybe online, maybe at car boot sales," she explained. Jim Taylor, a former detective chief superintendent who previously led the unit, says this allows them to link organised crime gangs to offending across the country."There are individuals exploiting the lack of coordination between stores, between police forces and making vast sums of money," he said.