FOI 52-2024 / Jan 2024 / Shoplifting
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 52-2023
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 11th January 2023 as follows:
The total number of items stolen from supermarkets in your jurisdiction, broken down by year, supermarket, and grocery type.
-If possible, the most valuable shoplifted item (£) for each year between 2019 and 2023.
Grocery types:
-Fruit & veg
-Meat & fish
-Dairy, eggs & chilled
-Bakery
-Frozen
-Food cupboard
-Drinks
-Household cleaning
-Beauty & cosmetics
-Toiletries & health
-Homeware & outdoor
-Baby & toddler
-Pets
-Other
Response:
Please be advised that the information requested in relation to items taken is not available in a readily retrievable format. I can advise that, in the year 2022 alone, there were 2259 recorded offences of shoplifting. In order to determine what items were taken it would be necessary to read the MO Description/Investigation Summary of each and every offence. Based on an average of 3 minutes per record, this would equate to 113 hours of work and is therefore above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this part of the request and if one part of a request exceeds the fees limit then S12 of the Act applies to the whole request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request; however, due to the volume of records that would need to be reviewed I have been unable to suggest a way to pare down this element of your request to allow the information to be obtained within the fees limit. However, I can advise that, should you wish to submit a new request which does not request information in relation to items taken, it would be possible to provide the number of shoplifting offences for a stated period.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB