Police have made a series of arrests after a stores were hit in a spree of shoplifting offences.

Neighbourhood policing teams from Bevois, Bargate, and City Centre Unit joined together for a safer business action day, combining their efforts to tackle retail crime in Southampton city centre.

The police action in the city centre, on October 16, saw three suspects arrested and one other summoned to court, in connection to several shoplifting offences.

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In a Facebook post, a spokesperson for Southampton said: “A male was arrested for seven shopliftings at various Co-ops, refusing a drugs test in custody and breach of court bail conditions.

Above Bar Street (Image: Newsquest) “He remains on remand until November until his case is heard further.

“A male and female were detained for theft of over £400 of goods from TK Maxx.

“The male was arrested for public order and shoplifting toward TK Maxx staff, he has been charged for these offences. The female will be summoned to court.”

They added: “Another male was arrested for eight shopliftings at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose stores, he has been charged and remanded and has been sentenced to eight weeks in prison.”