UK Crime and Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson had her purse stolen while attending the Police Superintendents’ Association’s annual conference held in Kenilworth, West Midlands, on Tuesday, between 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., while Dame Diana discussed the rising epidemic of thefts and antisocial behavior in the UK.
Warwickshire Police confirmed that a 56-year-old man from Coventry was arrested on suspicion of burglary. He was later released on bail while investigations continue.
The theft occurred at the hotel where the conference was held, and officers are still investigating the matter.
During her speech at the event, Dame Diana noted the UK was “gripped by an epidemic of anti-social behavior, theft, and shoplifting.”
Ironically, she discovered her belongings had been stolen shortly after delivering this address. Officials confirmed there was no security risk linked to the incident.
Dame Diana addressed the Home Office’s pledge to recruit 13,000 neighborhood police officers, PCSOs, and special constables.
She admitted that the specifics of where these new recruits will come from remain unclear. Labour had promised to deploy these officers as part of their strategy to “take back our streets.”
Statistics show a significant increase in theft-related crimes. Police data reveals that shoplifting incidents surged by 30 percent in the year leading to March, reaching 443,995 reported cases.
Theft from individuals also rose by 17 percent, with 131,453 recorded offenses during the same period. This contrasts with the Office for National Statistics Crime Survey for England and Wales, which shows overall theft rates falling since the 1990s.
Despite the declining trend since the 1995 peak of over 11 million incidents, the recent surge in shoplifting and theft has been a growing concern across the country.