'We're desperate', says shopkeeper facing daily thefts
A campaigner fighting against shoplifting is calling for more proactive policing, saying thieves have become "emboldened because police are not doing enough".
Thukitha Maheswaran, who runs a shop in Sheerness, told the BBC that shoplifting incidents across the town - and in her store - were frequent.
It comes as Kent Police released figures in September which said between June 2024 to June 2025 theft rose by 9.1%, totalling 17,091 incidents.
Supt Rob Marsh, from Kent Police, said: "Tackling shoplifting is a responsibility we take seriously and we do not underestimate the damaging impact this crime can have on businesses."
