Figures Show Increase In Shoplifting Incidents In Wicklow Over The Past 20 Years

There were 278 recorded incidents of shoplifting in the Wicklow Garda Division in 2003.

This rose to 787 recorded incidents of shoplifting in Wicklow in 2024, an increase of 183%.

There was an 11.9% increase in shoplifting offences in Wicklow between 2023 and 2024.

CSO regional figures for the recorded crime of shoplifting obtained by Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú  indicate an upwards trend in the number of shoplifting offences over 20+ years

The year 2003 was picked as it is the first year of shop lifting figures available to us from the CSO.

Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has called for tough action against the minority of people who feel it is acceptable to steal from hard working small family retail businesses.

The Ireland South MEP has also called for other measures included in the Programme for Government to be introduced immediately. 

1. Mandatory prison sentences for anyone caught shoplifting on more than one occasion
2. Update the Public Order Acts to allow a prolific offender of retail crime to be excluded from a premises for a certain period of time.
3. Support targeted garda operations to tackle retail crime and remove assets from those suspected of organised retail theft.
4. Introduce a specific offence of assaulting a retail worker.
5. End the practice of ‘retail defamation’ where someone can sue a retailer for defamation if they are stopped with the bona fide belief that they have stolen something from the shop.