Police have seen reports of two thefts per minute at stores across the country as shoplifting levels reach a record high, official figures show.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the year to June, there were 469,788 offences reported to police, up 29% on the previous years 365,173 and double the number reported in 2020.

The figures, which are the highest since current records started in March 2003, amount to more than 9,000 offences per week, 1,290 per day or more than two a minute based on 10 hour days (the average UK store opening times), The Telegraph reported.

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Just 17.7% of the thefts resulted in a shoplifter being caught and charged. While this is an increase from the previous year’s 15.5%, it’s a fall on 29.8% figure in 2016 when the first of such data began being published by the Home Office.

It comes as the British Retail Consortium estimate that retailers have experienced losses of £1.8bn each year from stolen goods, with an additional £700m used for security measures.

Over the past few years, some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets have trialled a number of security measures to limit shoplifting and retail crime in stores.

This includes exit barriers, ‘dummy’ products where there is a reduced level of high-value items on shelves, with shoppers needing to ask store staff for assistance to access them, more products with security tags, staff-worn body cameras, and protective screens.

Last month, Tesco introduced new security robots as part of its latest clampdown on in-store retail crime.

It is understood the new PID360 security robot will be installed in a number Tesco stores across the country and using its 360-degree camera, the devices will be placed at the entrances of closed stores at unsocial hours to detect potential thieves.