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Chocolate is the latest
of criminal gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by "
offenders" and then sold on the black
. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the
most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only second to alcohol in 2025. Another
association said: "Chocolate is now a target, deemed to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-theft
to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported incidents of shop
in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended up in the
. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily
of violence against shop
.
