Crimewave hits high street as recession bites

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Supermarket Tesco caught more than 43,000 thieves in the first half of this year - an increase of 36 per cent on the same period in 2007.

Essential items were the most common target, the figures revealed, suggesting that shoplifters were motivated by need rather than greed.

Iceland and Marks and Spencer have revealed criminal activity is also on the rise in their stores.

Stephen Robertson, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said the crimewave would escalate further as the economy contracted, a trend borne out in the previous recession.

"Retailers are preparing for an upsurge in offences and are extending crime prevention methods," he said.

Catherine Bowen, the head of crime policy at the British Retail Consortium, said retailers had noticed a change in what type of goods were being taken.

"The trend in the past has been for people to steal alcohol and things like that," she said. "Whereas we might see an increase in other items being stolen now such as babyfood."