Sir Keir Starmer claimed “the tide could be turning” against shoplifting as he set out the Government’s efforts to crack down on retail crime.

The Prime Minister said shop thefts were “slightly down” in the latest figures and he wanted wider use of technology which allows CCTV footage to be shared immediately with the police.

His comments came as a think tank highlighted figures showing 67% of shoplifting offenders go on to commit another offence within 12 months, up from 55% before the pandemic.

In an address to the Usdaw shopworkers’ union, Sir Keir said: “It’s disgraceful that people just working in their shop have to take abuse from customers.

“It’s disgraceful that people feel sick to the stomach thinking about how they’re going to get through the day and it’s disgraceful that people can have their lives and livelihoods ruined by persistent shop theft.”

He said the Government has put an extra 3,000 neighbourhood police officers on the streets and scrapped the “ridiculous” rule which left theft of…