Luxury London Retailers Introduce Plain Packaging to Combat Street Crime.

High-end London department stores are providing customers with unmarked shopping bags as a security measure against rising theft and robbery in the capital.

Van Cleef and Arpels, the prestigious French jewellery brand with locations in Harrods and Selfridges, has confirmed it now offers customers both branded and “anonymised” carrier bags. The initiative aims to help shoppers avoid becoming targets for thieves who scout for luxury brand packaging.

The measure responds to a dramatic surge in street crime across London. Metropolitan Police data reveals that reported thefts from individuals in Westminster have more than tripled—jumping from six incidents per 1,000 residents in September 2021 to over 20 per 1,000 by September 2024. Victims frequently have valuable jewellery, watches, and mobile phones stolen while walking or using public transport.

A Van Cleef and Arpels representative stated: “The Maison offers, for all its clients, the possibility of having anonymised bags for more discretion if they wish, in addition to the Van Cleef & Arpels classical bag.” The company noted that providing unmarked packaging has become standard practice among luxury retailers selling high-value merchandise.

One recent customer described the new packaging protocol: items are first wrapped in branded materials, then placed inside a larger, plain bag to disguise the purchase.

The initiative coincides with broader concerns about theft across Britain. Approximately 230 mobile phones were stolen daily in the UK last year—double the figure from five years earlier, with numbers continuing to climb.

London accounts for 75 per cent of phone thefts nationally, though the problem affects all major police forces. Even rural counties including Suffolk, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire report thousands of stolen phones annually.

Policing minister Sarah Jones, whose two sons have both fallen victim to phone theft, observed: “Almost everyone knows somebody who has had their phone stolen in London.”

The Metropolitan Police will host an international summit in May involving 27 countries to discuss strategies for combating phone theft with political and law enforcement leaders.

Recent statistics show some progress: personal robbery has declined by 13 per cent this year, while theft has dropped 14 per cent.

The Daily Mail sought additional comment from Harrods, Selfridges, and Van Cleef and Arpels.