A national police intelligence unit, Opal, has been disrupting organised crime gangs accused of stealing millions of pounds worth of goods from shops across the UK. The organised retail crime (ORC) team, established two years ago, collaborates with retailers and local police forces to target criminals involved in raids across multiple stores.
Since its launch in 2024, the ORC team has made over 250 arrests and conducted 84 operations. Opal bosses report that tens of thousands of pounds worth of stolen goods have been recovered. Convictions resulting from their work have led to sentences totalling 118 years, and 22 migrant criminals were deported.
Jim Taylor, former head of Opal, stated that the organisation has uncovered groups responsible for millions of pounds of theft. He mentioned one case that impacted 30 police forces. Policing minister Sarah Jones said the government aims to curb the impact of persistent shoplifters, noting that a small number of individuals are responsible for a high number of thefts.
The Home Office has confirmed that funding for the Opal team is in place until March 2028. Decisions regarding funding beyond this period will be made during future spending review processes.