Welcome Labour Commitment to Scrap £200 Threshold for Retail Crime

Retail theft crimes have risen three times as quickly since the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 was given Royal Assent in March 2014, compared to figures before this legislation was put in place.

This is because this legislation introduced the £200 threshold of low value crime which means that a defendant has been given the opportunity to plead guilty by post if they have stolen less than £200 worth of goods and will normally then receive a penalty notice – the same consequence as receiving a parking ticket. 

It is therefore welcome news that Rushanara Ali: Shadow Minister for Small Business and Investment said at the Dispatch Box during Business and Trade questions today that the Labour party are now looking to scrap this threshold.

Fiona Cuthbertson, Director of Keystone Consulting said: “Our work with the British Independent Retailers Association has meant that we have called for the £200 threshold to be scrapped for a very long time.  We are pleased that the Labour Party have said they will and hope that the Government will commit to this as well.”

Steve McCabe MP, said: “As chair of the APPG on retail crime, safe and sustainable high streets I feel this change is completely necessary to ensure that retailers get the response from the police they should.”