The financial strain of Christmas could tempt families to steal gifts for their children, a chief constable warned.
Cambridgeshire police chief Julie Spence, who has applied to become the next Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said "pressures of buying presents" were "greater than ever".
In a podcast on her force website, she said this could tempt people to "try shoplifting".
"The pressures of buying presents are greater than ever," she said.
"Trying to explain to children at Christmas that the present they most wanted won't be arriving is difficult.
"Some are also tempted to try to get for nothing what would otherwise cost them a lot of money. They try shoplifting. You may have seen the headlines saying it's on the increase.
"The other name for it is stealing. No matter how sympathetic some shop owners may be - or even police officers called to make an arrest - the fact is that a crime has been committed.
"The penalty, quite rightly, is an appearance before the courts and often a heavy fine. Whatever happens, it will cost you far more than you stole."
Police in Cambridgeshire said they had noted an increase in first-time offenders in cases of shoplifting this year as the financial gloom grew.
