Shop theft, bank and credit card fraud rise, data shows
Under policing reforms, the number of police forces will be slashed and new, larger forces will be divided into local areas corresponding with cities, towns and boroughs.
Shoplifting increased in the year to September, the latest ONS data shows, but is slightly below record levels seen in the 12 months to March 2025.
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There were 519,381 shoplifting offences in the year to September, up 5% from 492,660 the previous year.
A total of 530,439 offences were recorded in the year to March 2025.
Separate figures from the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales also suggested bank and credit card fraud increased by 19% to 2.6 million incidents in the year to September.
The survey "provides a reliable measure of crime trends for the population, and the offence types it covers" because it is not affected by police reporting or recording changes, the ONS said.
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It covers a range of personal and household victim-based crime, including theft, robbery, criminal damage, fraud, computer misuse and violence with or without injury, but does not include sexual offences, stalking, harassment and domestic abuse, which are presented separately.
Reacting to the figures, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "We are having real success tackling the crimes that terrorise communities.
"But the crimes that tear at the fabric of communities, like shop theft and shop robbery, continue to rise and we must do more.
"That is why we are putting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers on the beat, and have invested £2 billion more in forces across the country since we took office."
Under policing reforms announced by the Home Secretary on Monday, the number of police forces will be slashed and new, larger forces will be divided into local areas corresponding with cities, towns and boroughs.
A National Police Service (NPS) will also be created to tackle serious and complex crimes such as terrorism and fraud, which is hoped will lift the burden on local forces and enable them to focus on day-to-day policing.
Ministers have already committed to recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood policing officers by 2029, with 3,000 recruits expected to be in post by spring this year.