Nearly one in six Britons admit they have shoplifted

One-sixth of Britons admit to having "shoplifted"

According to a report on January 15th in the online edition of The Sunday Times, British movie stars, TV hosts, and even renowned chefs have been caught shoplifting. A survey commissioned by The Sunday Times and conducted by polling agency YouGov revealed that nearly one-sixth of Britons have engaged in shoplifting.

When asked if they had ever shoplifted, 16% of respondents admitted to doing so, while 79% said they had not. The remaining 5% either said they didn't know or did not specify.

It is estimated that in 2010, stolen goods from shops in the UK amounted to over 4.4 billion pounds. According to statistics, this figure has been increasing over the past 12 months, with desirable items including clothing, fresh meat, and men's shaving products.

News Background: According to reports, 60-year-old British celebrity chef Thompson received a police warning last week for stealing wine and cheese from a supermarket. He later apologized, saying, "I'm not the first, nor will I be the last person to do something inexplicable."

Tunneling 30 meters

British thieves raid cash in the dead of night

A gang of thieves in Manchester, UK, staged a real-life version of 'The Bank Job,' painstakingly digging a tunnel to the bottom of an ATM and making off with cash.

According to police information reported by the BBC, this bizarre incident occurred in the early hours of January 2nd, 2012. The thieves used a 30-meter-long tunnel to reach beneath an ATM located inside a music and video chain store. They then drilled through 38 centimeters of concrete, stole the cash.

However, the thieves' luck was poor; due to it being the New Year holiday, the ATM had not been fully restocked with cash, and the thieves only managed to take 6,000 pounds.

Police estimate that it took about six months to dig this tunnel. It seems the thieves' efforts were not worthwhile.

Tunnel details: The tunnel started near the railway tracks behind the store, passed through a parking lot, and reached under the store's foundation.

The tunnel was equipped with wires and lighting, as well as supports for the roof, with a height of approximately 1.2 meters. Compiled/Reporter Yang Zheng