Shoplifting hotspots mapped as one Somerset area South West’s worst
That’s the equivalent of a theft every nine hours—and that only includes crimes that are spotted and reported.
Police in Bath (Image: Paul Gillis/ BristolLive)
As “Kamikaze” shoplifting sweeps Britain, a new crime map has revealed the Somerset high street that suffers more retail theft than anywhere else in the South West – see how it compares where you live. Police in England and Wales recorded more than 500,000 shoplifting offences in 2024, a huge 20% surge on the previous year and the highest number since records began more than 20 years ago. That includes 18,243 shoplifting crimes recorded by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, a 24% increase. More than one in two retail workers (56%) say they have witnessed so-called “Kamikaze” shoplifting—thefts that take place in plain sight—in their workplaces. Around one in eight (13%) say it is a daily occurrence, while more than a third (37%) see it happening at least once a week, according to research from workplace operations and improvement platform SafetyCulture.
The British Independent Retail Association (Bira) has described the rise in Kamikaze shoplifting as a “tipping point.” Bira says it shows that some criminals believe they can “walk into a shop, take what they want in full view of staff and customers, and walk out knowing there will be no consequences.” At the same time, security firms are reporting a “massive increase in pensioners shoplifting” driven by cost-of-living pressures. John Nussbaum, director of service for retail for security services provider Kingdom Service, told PA News: “For us over the last 12 months, we’ve got this different level of crime now. We’re now experiencing something different—pensioners, people who don’t normally shoplift.” Now, hyperlocal police figures have revealed the city and town centres most plagued by theft. Last year, police recorded 922 offences of shoplifting in Central Bath & Lansdown. That’s far more than anywhere else in Somerset, the Avon and Somerset police force area, or the South West. That’s the equivalent of a theft every nine hours—and that only includes crimes that are spotted and reported. In Somerset, Bridgwater Town, in Sedgemoor had the second-highest number of offences with 463, followed by Weston Town in North Somerset (451 crime reports).
You can see how it compares near you using our interactive map.
The Shoplifting Epidemic
High streets plagued by retail crime
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Jeff Moody, Bira’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The latest ONS figures showing a 20% increase in shoplifting to a record 500,000 crime reports confirm what our members have been telling us for months—retail crime is spiralling out of control, and independent retailers are bearing the brunt of it. “The fact that shoplifting has reached this unprecedented level is frankly alarming, but it’s the brazen nature of these crimes that’s particularly concerning. “This so-called ‘kamikaze’ shoplifting – where thieves steal in plain sight with complete impunity – is absolutely a phenomenon we’re seeing reported by our members. Our own Bira crime survey, conducted in April, paints an even starker picture for independent retailers specifically – over 80% experienced theft in the past 12 months, with 90% of incidents happening during opening hours. “What’s particularly troubling is that half of our members are now choosing not to report thefts because they’ve lost faith in getting any meaningful response. “The harm to retailers goes far beyond the immediate financial loss. Independent businesses operate on wafer-thin margins, and every theft chips away at their ability to invest, grow, and employ people. But there’s also the human cost – our survey shows that nearly 40% of retailers experienced verbal abuse, with many describing aggressive confrontations that leave staff feeling vulnerable and demoralised. “When criminals can walk into a shop, take what they want in full view of staff and customers, and walk out knowing there will be no consequences, we’ve reached a tipping point. These aren’t just statistics – they represent real people trying to serve their communities, and real businesses that are the backbone of our high streets. “We need urgent action from police forces to treat retail crime with the seriousness it deserves, and for the courts to send a clear message that this behaviour won’t be tolerated. Our independent retailers deserve better protection than they’re currently receiving.” Crime figures are available for every one of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods in England and Wales, except areas covered by Greater Manchester Police, as the force has not supplied crime data for the last year. Crime figures are available for neighbourhoods with between 7,000 and 10,000 residents, which the government designates as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs). The statistics do not include crimes reported at train stations, as British Transport Police record them. Shoplifting was first described as an “epidemic” in 2023 by Dame Sharon White, the chair of John Lewis Partnership, and since then, crime—and the cost to retailers—has spiralled. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retailers footed an “eye-watering” £4.2 billion bill from crime last year, including £2.2bn lost to shoplifting, and £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures. Graham Wynn, Assistant Director of Business and Regulation at the BRC, said: “Retail theft is a major issue for retailers, costing over £2.2bn a year and acting as a major trigger for violence and abuse against staff. While the causes are manifold, the rise in organised crime is a significant concern, with gangs hitting stores one after another. Sadly, such theft is not a victimless crime; it pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience.” Top 10 neighbourhoods with the highest number of shoplifting crimes Central Bath & Lansdown (Bath and North East Somerset) – 922 Bridgwater Town (Sedgemoor) – 463 Weston Town (North Somerset) – 451 Taunton North Town (Somerset West and Taunton) – 426 Taunton Wilton (Somerset West and Taunton) – 397 Yeovil Town (South Somerset) – 371 South Worle, West Wick & St Georges (North Somerset) – 282 Frome North West (Mendip) – 261 Bloomfield (Bath and North East Somerset) – 244 Bridgwater South – 231
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Why You Should Never, Ever Shoplift From This Popular Retail Store
Shoplifting is never OK and often comes with consequences, something many thieves have discovered after attempting to steal from Target.
Target might even be the strictest retail store out there when it comes to cracking down on shoplifters.
Shoplifters may not get caught on their first try, but thanks to Target’s shoplifting policies, repeat offenders often get nabbed eventually.
According to a Target manager per Paypath, “the clunky ones who get just good enough to evade detection for a while until they get too greedy and too braggy [get caught].”
READ MORE: Average Time Spent in Walmart and Target: Are You Above Average?
Plus, Target dedicates much more to its loss prevention system than stores like Walmart or Best Buy, according to the outlet.
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They allegedly have one of the top-rated forensic labs and regularly examine “organized retail crimes committed at Target stores through video and image analysis, latent fingerprint and computer forensics.”
Below, find out more about what makes Target the worst place for shoplifters to test out their sticky fingers.
Target Has a Shoplifting Problem
Target is constantly combating shoplifters, which is why you might see some products locked up in Target stores.
This can include anything from soap and shampoo to even socks and underwear, which are apparently frequently-hit items.
According to Yahoo! Finance, on tackling a fix for Target’s shoplifting problem, CEO Brian Cornell said, “It’s going to take several years. We’re trying to make sure we can control what we can control.”
“To be clear, we do not like locking up product, but we like running stores, and we want to keep our stores open. We want to make sure they’re safe,” he added.
In 2023, Target claimed they were forced to close nine stores in four states due to “theft and organized retail crime,” per CNBC, meaning the corporation takes loss prevention very seriously.
Store Lowered Its Employee Intervention Threshold to $50
In 2024, Target lowered its shoplifting intervention threshold from $100 in merchandise to just $50 in merchandise, according to Bloomberg News.
The policy was reportedly set to take effect in late summer.
“Our priority remains ensuring the safety of the team and guests, while maintaining the positive experience Target shoppers expect,” a spokesperson told the outlet.
Many Target stores have also hired more security guards in an effort to combat shoplifting.
You Could Get Banned Forever
Not only will you be stopped and questioned by one of Target’s undercover security officers if you shoplift from the store, you could get banned forever via an official no trespassing order.
According to Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law, an accused shoplifter may be slapped with a strict “no trespassing” order, effectively banning them from the store indefinitely.
And if that person tries to enter Target again, such an order means they could then be arrested and charged with trespassing, resulting in expensive fines and even possibly jail time.
Store Allegedly Builds Grand Larceny Cases
Though unconfirmed, Paypath reports Target is allegedly known for letting shoplifters commit the crime until they hit a large threshold for a felony shoplifting charge.
The outlet claims these alleged cases are even built across state lines, so if someone shoplifts at any Target in the U.S. they could be in major trouble.
In a viral TikTok, a former Target employee backed up this alleged practice.
“If you’ve ’borrowed’ from Target and you think you got away with it, no you didn’t. You just opened a case on yourself,” the content creator said.
“They have their asset protection, those people that walk around with the security shirts, and they also have secret shoppers. So they look like customers, but they’re watching you,” she continued.
She also revealed that Target allegedly uses advanced facial recognition software to track its shoppers during checkout.
“They’re going to continue to let you ‘borrow’ things until you reach a certain dollar amount. I think it’s different in different states but like $900 for example. They’ll let you take up to $900 worth of merchandise just so they can have you arrested for grand theft larceny,” she claimed, adding: “If you’re at $895, as soon as you walk out that door with $5 worth of merchandise, cops will be waiting for you.”
The former employee also claimed that Target “has the FBI working for them” as well as “retired law enforcement,” though again, it’s unconfirmed.
Failed Celebrity Business Ideas
Stacker compiled a comprehensive list of 20 celebrity businesses that failed within three years.
Gallery Credit: Elena Wiedlin
Allan Tannenbaum // Getty Images
Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, and Claudia Schiffer: Fashion Cafe
Brothers and co-owners Tommaso and Francesco Buti premiered the ill-fated Fashion Cafe in New York City in late 1994, with supermodels Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, and Claudia Schiffer joining the debut as brand advisors and the faces of the restaurant. The beautiful women and celebrity following weren’t enough to distract from the brothers’ shady business dealings, with their model spokespersons severing ties with the restaurant before it was shut down in 1998 due to various nefarious financial withholdings.
Jamie McCarthy // Getty Images
Blake Lively: Preserve
Blake Lively’s lifestyle website Preserve tapped out of the e-commerce market after just over a year. In a 2015 interview with Vogue, the actor said the site was “not making a difference in people’s lives, whether superficially or in a meaningful way.” The site offered Lively’s aesthetics and lifestyle through clothing, food, and knick-knacks. The business never quite found its niche, and the meaning of the site felt lost from the get-go after a confusing editorial letter from Lively upon its debut.
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Jay-Z: J Hotels
Jay-Z is a successful entrepreneur, apart from being a lyricist and producer. He is considered the wealthiest rapper in the world, with a net worth of $1.6 billion. But even the savviest businessperson can make missteps, as evidenced by Jay-Z’s foray into the boutique hotel world. The planned High Line property was to be the first of a chain dubbed J Hotels. However, due to the failure on the partner’s end to dole out a $52 million senior loan in 2009, the hotel never made it to opening day. Jay-Z sued the firm, reaching a settlement in 2010.
Bryan Steffy // Getty Images
Flava Flav: Flav’s Fried Chicken
Public Enemy’s Flava Flav has made various attempts to break into the fried chicken franchise market, with Flav’s Fried Chicken in 2011 being his first. Despite Flav’s culinary experience, the restaurant’s Clinton, Iowa, location closed within four months due to mounting legal and financial troubles.
Astrid Stawiarz // Getty Images
Natalie Portman: Vegan footwear line
Famed actor Natalie Portman is known for her animal rights advocacy and vegan lifestyle. In 2008, she launched a vegan footwear line with Té Casan to provide stylish, cruelty-free shoes to the public. Due to financial troubles that same year, Té Casan closed permanently, taking Portman’s shoe line with it.
WWD // Getty Images
Kim Basinger: Tourist destination
Actor Kim Basinger may have been overzealous in her venture when she bought the majority of a small town in Georgia in 1989. The “L.A. Confidential” star planned to restore the town of Braselton and bring tourism into the small town of 500 people, partnering with Ameritech, a pension fund, to purchase 1,751 of the town’s 2,000 acres.
Plans for the town never seemed to gain traction, with a 1992 Chicago Tribune article quoting a resident calling it “deader than it was three years ago.” After filing for bankruptcy due to an impending lawsuit, Basinger sold her shares, followed by Ameritech, with an accumulated $20 million lost on their investment in Braselton.
Scott Gries // Getty Images
Jessica Simpson: Dessert Beauty
Actor-singer Jessica Simpson attempted to dip her toe into the cosmetics business with her brand Dessert Beauty in 2004, a flavored line of beauty products. The line garnered controversy for the sexualized marketing of its edible products, and Simpson and retailer Sephora were sued by the line’s manufacturers over unpaid profits. The edible cosmetics line was discontinued soon after. Despite this setback, Simpson has had great success in other entrepreneurial pursuits, most notably her Jessica Simpson Collection, a billion-dollar brand released in 2005.
Cindy Ord // Getty Images
Lindsay Lohan: Lohan Beach House
This Mykonos nightclub owned by Lindsay Lohan closed its doors after less than a year and served as the backdrop for the poorly rated MTV reality show “Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club.” The actor has never commented on her departure from the beachfront venture, with fans and visitors speculating she abandoned the property.
Victor Malafronte // Getty Images
Donald Trump: Trump Shuttle airline
The former president’s long career as a businessman had its fair share of misled financial endeavors. Donald Trump rebranded Eastern Air Lines’ shuttle as the Trump Shuttle after he raised $365 million to purchase the airline. The venture was a failure, with the business losing $125 million over the course of 18 months before Trump walked away in 1992. It didn’t help that Trump attacked his competitor Pan Am’s safety procedures and maintenance with baseless claims, and the rising price of oil caused by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait added turmoil to the economy.
Jason Merritt // Getty Images
Eva Longoria: SHe steakhouse
Actor Eva Longoria’s failed attempt at a steakhouse for women lasted less than two years. Opened in 2012 on the Las Vegas Strip, the restaurant offered small portions, mirrors in menus, and even a catwalk. Despite the ridiculous amenities, the restaurant met its end after receiving 21 demerits for health code violations.
Michael Buckner // Getty Images
Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian: Kardashian Kard
The Kardashian sisters’ foray into the prepaid debit card business was a misguided attempt and was heavily criticized for its marketing and business model, which targeted impressionable teens and children and hosted a long list of predatory fees. The Kardashian Kard was terminated after less than a month, with only 250 people buying the card.
United Archives // Getty Images
Hulk Hogan: Pastamania
Famed wrestler Hulk Hogan opened Pastamania in 1995, a family-style pasta restaurant that shuttered its doors after only a few months. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, in the Mall of America, Hogan attempted to pay homage to his Italian roots with a disappointing venture into the restaurant industry, which failed due to a lack of public interest.
Jamie McCarthy // Getty Images
Lenny Dykstra: The Players Club
Known to baseball fans as Nails, former New York Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra attempted a publication marketed toward professional athletes but was wildly unsuccessful. There was soon buzz around the stylized magazine’s employees not receiving paychecks and Dykstra coaxing employees to use their personal credit cards for his company expenses. The publication faced approximately a dozen lawsuits in early 2009 amid sketchy dealings by Dykstra before eventually folding amid unpaid checks and financial disgrace.
Johnny Nunez // Getty Images
Pharrell Williams: Qream
Pharrell Williams is a singer, producer, and successful business entrepreneur and was recently appointed as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. His attempt at the liquor brand Qream in 2011 targeted women, with Williams saying the fruit-flavored liquor allowed women to “reward themselves ‘deliciously.'” Williams filed a lawsuit against Qream’s distributor, Diageo, in 2013, citing that it had failed to promote the liquor as a high-end drink, contributing to its low sales and subsequent folding.
Gary Miller // Getty Images
Neil Young: PonoMusic and PonoPlayer
Musician Neil Young may have wanted to cool his heels before announcing his competition with Apple’s portable audio player, the PonoPlayer, which claimed to have a higher quality audio experience than the iPhone. Priced at $399, the end result didn’t yield a discernable difference to consumers. Omnifone, the company Young tasked with running the PonoMusic store, was also purchased by Apple and immediately shut down without warning. By 2016, the company had stopped making products.
Jerritt Clark // Getty Images
Kanye West: Pastelle
Before Yeezy’s rise (and fall), rapper Kanye West attempted to break into fashion with Pastelle, a brand that never hit stores despite West curating a 30-person team over three years. Although many samples were made and hype around the brand increased, by 2009, it was clear the line would not be coming to market. Following the debacle West created when he took the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards that same year, West took a media hiatus and even ghosted many of his contacts within the brand, leaving some unpaid.
MARTIN BUREAU // Getty Images
Rihanna: Fenty fashion label
Barbadian singer Rihanna has had plenty of success as an entrepreneur with her beauty lines Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin, plus her lingerie line Savage X Fenty, but her Fenty fashion label—housed under the LVMH group—was discontinued in 2021 after launching in 2019. Despite Rihanna’s vast popularity, the label struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the high prices for basic clothing items, such as $940 for a denim jacket.
John Shearer // Getty Images
Heidi Montag: Heidiwood
Known for her time on the popular reality show “The Hills,” Heidi Montag debuted a fashion line in collaboration with Anchor Blue in 2008, marketed toward girls and women ages 16-21. Heidiwood encapsulated staples of the time with bright colors, bold animal prints, and lots of bling. While Anchor Blue was happy with Heidiwood’s success, the clothing retailer ended its contract with Montag after a year, citing a change in direction.
Lawrence Lucier // Getty Images
Britney Spears: Nyla
In 2002, pop star Britney Spears teamed up with restaurateur Bobby Ochs to open their New York Cajun restaurant Nyla, with the name deriving from the acronyms for New York and Spear’s hometown of Louisiana. The restaurant faced a host of troubles upon opening and faced possible bankruptcy before its closure the same year. Spears eventually severed ties and departed from the business before it closed its doors.
Gustavo Caballero // Getty Images
Nicky Hilton: Nicky O Hotels
Although Nicky Hilton carries the infamous Hilton name, her foray into the luxury hotel business in 2006 never quite got off the ground. The proposed Nicky O Hotels promised a luxury guest and residential experience; however, the project never came to fruition due to Robert Falor Investments pulling its backing amid continued delayed construction. The development group subsequently sued Hilton in early 2007, claiming she and her manager, Paul Fisher, had funded frivolous personal expenses like parties and luxury cars with company funds.
Read More: Don’t Ever Shoplift From This Popular Retail Store | https://popcrush.com/worst-store-shoplifting-target/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
