Shoplifting is increasing in Russia as Western sanctions and low wages damage the economy

Shoplifting cases in Russia have soared by 44 per cent from 2013 to 2014 amid Western sanctions and economic crisis

A woman shops for a t-shirt with Putin's face on it at a department store in Moscow (DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Russia saw 930 million rubles' (£10.4m) worth of goods stolen from shops last year.

Just 648m rubles worth of goods were stolen in Russia in 2013 meaning there was an increase in shoplifting of 44 per cent in one year.

Russia is suffering an economic crisis under the weight of plunging oil prices and sanctions from Western countries in response Putin’s involvement in Ukraine.

As incomes are lowering, more and more people are turning to theft, Russian newspaper Izvestia has reported.

The Russian ruble lost 40 per cent of its value against the dollar and 34 per cent against the euro last year and inflation rose to 11.4 per cent.

Real income rates fell by 3.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2015.

While top-shelf alcohol, caviar and other delicacies were amongst the most shoplifted items, cheaper goods such as chocolate bars and razors were also taken.

The Federal Tax Agency revealed that Moscow has been hit hardest by shoplifting and over half of all thefts from shops last year happened in the capital.