A suspected burglar feigned interest in booking their own funeral before stealing items belonging to staff.
Officers were called to a funeral office in Sherwood after hearing about the incident on Thursday (11 January) at 10.50 am.
Police were told that a man had entered the business at that time claiming he wanted to make arrangements for after his death.
A staff member greeted him and then left the room to get the office diary so that an appointment could be set up for the man.
While this was happening, the visitor went behind the shop counter and took a bag belonging to the employee without them realising.
A bank card inside the stolen bag was then used multiple times that same day to buy items from a range of stores.
After carrying out local inquiries, officers quickly identified a suspect, who was also linked to two similar incidents.
Both took place on 4 January 2024 and again saw a man walk into shops pretending to be a customer before taking items when staff turned their backs.
A wallet and a purse belonging to employees at a Nottingham city centre bakery were first taken when someone got into a staff room.
Bank cards taken in this incident were used to buy items shortly afterwards.
Around £1,000 was then swiped from the till at a food store in St Ann’s later that same day – this time while a staff member was in the stock room.
A 58-year-old man – who was also wanted on recall to prison – has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of burglary and two counts of fraud by false representation.
Sergeant Louise Ellis, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We’re pleased to have arrested a suspect in connection with these incidents, which all resulted in shop staff having their belongings stolen.
“Each victim came to work to provide services to the community – not to have their privacy violated.
“In all of these incidents, the items were taken from areas that no visitor or customer to the stores had any business being in, never mind stealing from.
“There is absolutely no excuse for anyone to behave in this manner, with this type of intrusion having the potential to have a huge impact on people’s lives.”
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