Thousands of convicted criminals enjoyed Christmas at home after benefiting from Labour’s early release scheme, figures show.
Some 8,269 offenders serving sentences of at least two years behind bars were let out between January and June.
This includes 139 hardened criminals locked up for more than 14 years and 329 jailed for between 10 and 14 years.
Another 1,761 sent to prison for more than five years were let out early this year, figures show.
The Tories declared “these individuals would still have been in custody over Christmas 2025 had they served their full sentence”.
Instead, they were “roaming our streets” despite fears over the shoplifting epidemic and the growing trend of criminals helping “themselves to whatever they want”.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Thanks to Labour, thousands of criminals will be enjoying themselves this Christmas. More than 8,000 prisoners who would have been serving their prison sentences this Christmas will be roaming our streets.
“Calamity Lammy and Labour are overseeing record levels of shoplifting and robberies targeting businesses. Basic items like butter and chocolate are now being security tagged.
“While families work hard to afford presents in the face of Labour’s tax hikes, criminals are being allowed to run riot on the streets and help themselves to whatever they want.”
Shoplifting has surged to record levels, with 530,000 offences recorded in the year to June 2025 – an increase of 13 per cent compared with the previous year. Robberies targeting businesses have also risen sharply to 18,534 offences – a 55 per cent increase over the same period.
A staggering 824 shoplifting investigations were closed every day last year before a suspect was even identified, Home Office figures show.
Some 300,820 cases were shelved before the thief was found and a further 90,937 investigations were shelved due to a lack of evidence.
Just 107,090 shoplifting offences resulted in charge in the year to June 2025. Illustrating the confidence crisis engulfing the criminal justice system, more than 50,000 people refused to support the prosecution of shoplifters.
Almost 40,000 prisoners have been let out early under Labour’s early release scheme.
Some 4,358 were let out early in June 2025, the second highest number since the scheme was set up.
More than 25,000 have benefited from a “conditional release”, whilst almost 11,000 were allowed to stay at home under a curfew.
Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “It’s not the Grinch ruining the high street this Christmas – it’s crime. Shoplifters, gangs, and repeat offenders are being handed an early present by Labour, as shopworkers and families pay the price.
“When offenders know they won’t be caught, won’t be charged, and won’t face consequences, crime stops being risky and starts being routine. That is why theft is rising and town centres feel less safe since Labour came to office.
“The next Conservative Government will put officers back on the streets where crime is highest, recruit 10,000 new police officers, triple stop and search, and deliver 8.3 million extra patrol hours each year. This is all fully funded by our £800 million-a-year and finally put the focus back on keeping the public safe.”
Police chiefs have demanded retailers help them more in the battle against shoplifters.
Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, one incident where private security staff had been messaging shoplifters or street robbers to tell them when it was “clear” and “helping them commit their criminality”.
He said some stores have refused to pass on CCTV video or images of thieves to police, and others would refuse to let their staff have time off to provide witness statements to the police or attend court to give evidence.
Sir Mark said some retailers have been “very supportive”.
“They can give them time to give a statement and they will pay them work time to go to court. Others won’t do any of that,” he added.
“So if they’re not prepared to roll up their sleeves as corporate victims, it’s going to be tough for us to make progress.”
Justice sources insisted some would have been let out before Christmas anyway, under previous rules that allowed offenders out after serving just 50% of their sentence.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said:“This completely ignores the dire prisons crisis inherited by this Government – without the decisive action taken we would’ve run out of jail space entirely long before last Christmas, putting victims and the public at untold risk.
“We are building 14,000 extra prison places – with 2,900 opened since last July – and reforming sentencing to make our streets safer and ensure there always is a cell for dangerous criminals.”
A Government source said: “This is shameless hypocrisy from the Conservative Party that released more than 10,000 prisoners before the general election and left our prisons on the brink of collapse after 14 years of austerity. If Labour had not acted, prisons would have overflowed and we would have faced a breakdown in law and order.”
