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The £200 Shoplifting Threshold: Why UK Police Often Don’t Attend — and What Stores Do Instead
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The £200 Shoplifting Threshold: Why UK Police Often Don’t Attend — and What Stores Do Instead

De Flow AI Team

De Flow AI Team

May 14, 20267 min read
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The £200 Shoplifting Threshold: Why UK Police Often Don’t Attend — and What Stores Do Instead

The perception vs the law

Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, theft of goods worth £200 or less is treated as a summary offence — widely (if not entirely accurately) read as "low-value theft won’t be attended". The Government has since pledged to scrap the threshold (gov.uk), but the perception fuels repeat offending today.

Why good evidence flips the odds

Forces are far more likely to act on clear, packaged evidence: a timestamped clip, the items taken, and a recognisable sequence. That’s exactly what AI produces automatically.

From "nothing we can do" to a usable case file

De Flow AI captures the incident, links it to the till exception, and produces an evidence package on the spot — supporting reporting, civil recovery and banning orders. Analytics highlight prolific offenders worth escalating.

Cut Shrink in Your UK Stores

See how De Flow AI's computer-vision loss prevention spots theft, fraud and risky behaviour in real time — and pays for itself within months.

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EnglishUK retailshoplifting lawloss preventionevidence
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