BBCA once-prolific shoplifter, from stealing chips and sweets to alcohol, clothes and cars, says the “way to fit in” soon became a “way of life”.
Danny Woodburn was 11 years old when he started stealing in Barrow. He has been in and out of jail since he was 15 years old.
“I stole cars and then set them on fire,” the now 40-year-old recalled.
“I would go to the store and take half a rail and walk out through the alarm and then run away.”
He spent more than two decades shoplifting and during that time struggled with alcoholism to the point where he robbed to fund his habit.
“There is a difference between stealing to make money and stealing for addiction.
“If I didn’t drink a certain amount, I would have a seizure. Sometimes I’ve gone to the shops, opened a beer, drank it and walked out.
“I didn’t cover my identity or my face, and I didn’t care about being arrested.”
In 2024, 2,422 shoplifting offenses were reported in Cumbria – the highest level since 2019, before the Covid lockdowns.
According to the information received by the police, by the end of September this year, 1,734 cases have been reported, of which more than 450 have resulted in an indictment or summons.
Insp Andy Leather, from the Carlisle and Wigton neighborhood policing team, said: “In terms of crime volume it is one of the most common crimes we deal with.
“It is not necessarily only about the actual investigation time of the crimes, but also about examining the forces behind the crimes.
“We see that many of our frequent offenders have a connection to addiction, so we work with charities and retail.
“People steal valuable things that can easily be resold, so the items we regularly see are expensive joints of meat, valuable detergents and razor blades because they are in demand.”
A Freedom of Information request to Cumbria Police has revealed that food, alcohol, clothes, cosmetics and toiletries are the main items stolen from shops last year.
Police figures also show that the number of shoplifting incidents where there is no identified suspect increased by 30 percent countywide between 2019 and 2024.
Insp Leather said: “We have invested in CCTV and have a system where people can register their CCTV with us so we can document it.”
Ch Insp Lee Skelton, who leads Cumbria Police’s shoplifting operations, said technology was improving with better video footage and facial recognition.
“Unfortunately, retail crime has been on the rise for some time,” he said. “However, Cumbria has one of the highest positive outcomes; second only to Norfolk for the number of people brought to justice for this type of crime.
“And our response rate, in terms of physically attending a shoplifting report, is one of the highest in the country, 60-70% processed.”
“I needed a detox”
Shoplifters come from all areas of society, but according to police data from last year, almost twice as many men as women were caught shoplifting, while 25-34-year-olds were relatively the largest age group of those who committed these crimes.
“A lot of shoplifting is done by high profile criminals, and most of them are drug addicts,” Woodburn said.
“I was addicted to alcohol, so the first thing I needed was a detox, and that’s what I struggled with. It’s a timely process and it costs money.”
In 2022 he completed a program with Well Communities, a charity that supports people with drug and alcohol addiction in Kendal, Barrow and Carlisle.
Since opening in 2012, the charity has supported 1,171 people suffering from addiction.
It also runs food banks, housing services and a “grow your own” program that provides employment opportunities.
Most of The Well’s 69 employees have struggled with addiction.
Woodburn, who also works for the organization today, recalled, “The Well was like an ambulance and the key workers were like paramedics. They brought me through the program.
“I’ve done things I’m ashamed of, but reflecting on your behavior gives you a better picture and understanding.
“I was a leech on society and a financial burden on resources.
“I emptied my own society and paid people money. I was also an emotional burden on my own family.
“But people can change their lives – I’m living proof of that.”