Forty-four people arrested for shoplifting across Essex

Officers have secured a total of 69 charges of shop theft and two of assaulting a retail worker against a total of 26 people in the past fortnight.

They made a total of 44 arrests for shop theft* in Essex between 15 & 28 July 2024. Twelve people have been bailed to allow further investigations to be carried out, two people cautioned and no further action will be taken against four of those arrested.

Ten people were arrested across the Southend district; nine in each of the Chelmsford and Thurrock districts; six in each of the Colchester and Tendring districts; three in Harlow; and one in Basildon.

Our officers have made 99 arrests for shop theft in the past four weeks. Between 1 January and 28 July 2024, that figure rises to 819.

• Visit our Business Crime pages and find out how our business crime officers can help your store or business

* Arrests for shop theft. This relates to the number of arrests our officers have made. A person may have been arrested more than once for theft from a shop during the time period. And they may have been arrested for more than one offence.

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