31 Oct 2024
A crackdown on shoplifting by a St Albans police taskforce continues to yield results.
A team of officers dedicated to tackling the offence made six arrests in one week.
Sophia James, 22, of no fixed-abode in Stevenage, was stopped on Tuesday October 22 and arrested on suspicion of stealing alcohol from Marks and Spencer. She was subsequently charged and is due to appear before court on November 8.
On Wednesday October 23, a 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and later issued with a conditional caution.
Officers also arrested Roy Stallard, 44, of New Kent Road in London Road, St Albans on suspicion of shoplifting. He has since been charged and will appear at court on November 5.
On the same day, police also linked a man to two other shoplifting offences. One was a theft that had been reported earlier in the day at the Co-op, and the other was a shoplifting offence in South Mimms.
Benjamin McMahon, 37, of Gorham Drive, St Albans was arrested and charged in connection with the offences. He appeared in court on Friday October 25 and pleaded guilty. McMahon will be sentenced on Monday.
As the week ended, officers kept the pressure on local shoplifters with another arrest. Lester Hedley, 24, of Trumper Road in Stevenage, was arrested in St Peter’s Street on suspicion of stealing aftershave from Boots. He was subsequently charged and is due to appear at court on November 8.
On the Friday, October 25, five men were detained as they matched the description of offenders who committed a robbery that occurred on Victoria Street on Tuesday October 22. Another man was detained under Section 1 as it was believed he had concealed items on his person in TK Maxx.
Officers also arrested 38-year-old Carl Legg, of no fixed abode, on suspicion of stealing a bicycle worth £2,000. He was subsequently charged and remanded.
Additionally, patrols around Morrisons in Hatfield Road saw officers engage with security staff and sign them up to the St Albans business hub. A number of people were also stopped for searches during the week due to previous information linking them to criminal activity.
St Albans Ch Insp Martin Turpin said: “We are working closely with our local businesses and partners; and I hope these results will provide reassurance that we are starting to see a tangible positive impact in tackling prolific shoplifting offenders in St Albans.”
