You wouldn't steal a handbag, even if it were second-hand?
The vintage clothing industry has boomed since the pandemic, thanks to the rise of second-hand fashion apps and a shift towards sustainable fashion.
As of 2026, over one quarter of UK fashion transactions are second-hand, with the resale sector worth £7bn to the economy, research from OC&C Strategy Consultants has found.
But vintage traders are fast becoming victims of their own success, they say. Sellers on Portobello Road have told BBC London how a rising tide of retail theft is threatening their livelihoods.
"People don't want to go rob the Chanel store or the Gucci shop. The money is now with the vintage pieces," explains Charlotte Cohu, director of Lovers Lane Ltd.
