Police seize £44k haul from suspected shoplifters

Police seized sunglasses which are thought to have been stolen from a store that has lost £80,000 worth of Ray-Bans in a year

Police have seized more than £44,000 in goods and cash from a suspected shoplifting gang.

Town centre wardens investigating a theft of meat from a supermarket followed a man to a shop in Reading, Berkshire, on 30 July, Thames Valley Police said.

The shop owner, a 40-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and released under investigation.

Police said they subsequently raided his home in Oxford Road and seized £23,000 in cash as well as sunglasses, cosmetics, perfume, handbags and clothing.

The sunglasses, worth £10,000, are thought to have been stolen from a store in the town centre that has lost £80,000 worth of Ray-Bans in a year, detectives added.

Insp James Tribe said: "This excellent piece of partnership working has resulted in a massive piece of our shoplifting jigsaw being completed.

"We have been working tirelessly to find out who is handling the goods that are being stolen within the town centre and I firmly believe this disruption will really hit our shoplifters hard."

Police said the investigation involved wardens employed by Reading's Business Improvement Districts (BID).

BID manager Alexa Volker said: "Our wardens are on patrol seven days a week acting as the eyes and ears of the town.

"They are able to share intelligence, and help identify offenders, thereby expediting the actions of the police as seen in this case."