A suspected prolific shoplifter was spotted and arrested by police within seconds of a Nottingham store being targeted.
Response officers were investigating two thefts from Boots in Riverside Retail Park, Electric Avenue, when someone caught their eye.
As they walked out of that store, they saw a man crossing the car park who they quickly identified as a suspect they were trying to track down.
This took place just after 2.10pm on Sunday (1 September), with police then approaching the man, who tried unsuccessfully to run away from them.
Unbeknownst to officers at that point, but the Next store situated yards away from the Boots they’d visited had seconds earlier fallen victim to thieves.
Following a search of the suspect at the roadside, police managed to recover multiple items of clothing with the security tags still on them from a bag.
The 42-year-old suspect was at that point arrested for three counts of theft – including the two thefts from Boots that officers had originally been investigating.
These incidents took place on 17 August and 20 August respectively, with high quantities of perfume and makeup products reportedly stolen on both occasions.
Sergeant Nick Bass, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The officers attending this incident showcased fantastic awareness of their surroundings while investigating these shoplifting reports.
“They were immediately able to spot someone they believed to be a suspect in two incidents they were investigating, before quickly catching up with and detaining them nearby.
“Their decision to follow up these suspicions also inadvertently resulted in them recovering a bag containing multiple items of suspected stolen clothing.
“Unbeknownst to the officers, but another store on the retail park had seconds earlier also had items stolen, which we strongly believe to be those found in the bag retrieved.
“This was very much a case of our officers being in the right place at the right time.
“While we’ve arrested a suspect in connection with these offences, our inquiries are still very much ongoing, so we’d ask anyone with any information to come forward.
“This can be reported either to the police by calling 101, quoting incident 391 of 17 August 2024, or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
