Five charged after police operation in Portsmouth city centre

Plain clothed and uniformed police officers carried out patrols between Monday December 5 and Friday December 9 after concerns about shoplifting, robbery offences, cycle crime, the selling of fake perfume and offences related to begging.

The operation included patrols of Commercial Road and the Cascades shopping centre.

During the five days police recovered £857 worth of stolen goods, issued two fixed penalty notices for theft and possession of cannabis andissued 80 verbal warnings regarding cycling on pavements.

Five people were also charged with theft:

- Martin Ashley James, 35, of no fixed address, was charged with theft from a shop. He appeared at South East Hants Magistrates Court on December 6 and was sentenced to three months in prison.

- Jackson Dean Holt, 23, of Sedgley Close, Southsea, was charged with four counts of theft from a shop and going equipped for theft. He is due to appear at South East Hants Magistrates Court on December 22.

- Scott Russell Simon Devereaux, 37, of Milton Road, Portsmouth, was charged with four counts of theft from a shop. He is due to appear at South East Hants Magistrates Court on December 29.

- Aimee Fraser, 28, of Turner Road, Portsmouth, was charged with theft from a shop. She is due to appear at South East Hants Magistrates Court on January 3, 2017.

- Ronnie Morey, 38, of Mayo Close, Portsmouth, was charged with theft from a shop. He is due to appear at South East Hants Magistrates Court on January 3, 2017.

Police also spoke to homeless people sleeping rough and gave crime prevention advice to the public - including 225 specifically about cycle crime.

Sergeant Richard Holland said: ‘This is the third year that we have run a targeted operation in Portsmouth city centre during the festive season. ‘Our operation has had a positive impact on the city centre and sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate theft from shops in Portsmouth.’