One jailed and three charged as police crackdown on shoplifting to support Portsmouth businesses

Rebekah Frost, 42 of Soberton Road in Havant, was jailed for 12 weeks at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after she admitted shoplifting and the racially aggravated assault of a staff member at a shop on Somers Road in Portsmouth on 1 January. Frost also admitted possession of heroin and cocaine.

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Dylan Doran, 40, of no fixed address, has been charged with five shoplifting offences that took place between Thursday 29 June and Monday 24 July. The charges relate to three incidents in which a total of £325 worth of meat, butter and sauces were taken from the Co-op on Queen Street, and a further two incidents where £1055 worth of protein supplements were taken from Holland and Barrett on Commercial Road. Doran has been bailed and is due to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 25 October.

Lucy Mitchell, 41, of Ophir Road in Hilsea, has been charged in relation to four incidents of shoplifting in which £282 worth of confectionary, meat and household goods were taken from the Co-op on Twyford Avenue, as well as another incident where £80 worth of meat was taken from the Co-op on Northern Parade. Mitchell appeared in court on Tuesday 5 September and is due to appear again at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 21 September.

Elliot Frazer, 40, of St Michaels Road, Portsmouth, has been charged with two offences of shoplifting on Commercial Road on Thursday 7 September, in which £126 worth of protein powder was taken from Holland and Barrett and just under £138 worth of DVDs were taken from HMV. Frazer has been bailed with conditions, including not to go to the stores, Crasswell Street or Commercial Road and is due to appear in court on Thursday 21 September.

A police statement said: “Targeting shoplifters is a priority for the district, and we will be relentlessly pursuing those that are violent to staff or are repeat offenders. We have a city centre team dedicated to catching these offenders and will be working with the Portsmouth Business Crime Reduction Partnership and businesses in Gunwharf and the Cascades.”

Insp Neil Johnson said: “The city centre team, Neighbourhood Policing, High Harm, Response & Patrol and the Criminal Investigations Department will continue to work hard to make Portsmouth a safer place for residents, visitors and businesses. Please continue to report shoplifting incidents to us, as they help us build a stronger case against prolific offenders.

“Business owners and shop staff should not have to come to work and face criminal behaviour. We hope that this sends a clear message to any shoplifters out there: continue to steal and you will end up in court.”

To help protect your business:

· Make sure staff are able to use any appropriate security equipment such as panic alarms.

· Make sure CCTV cameras are in good working order, the position provides the best possible coverage and they are serviced annually.

· Remind staff to report any suspicious activity to the manager or the police. Details should also be recorded and include: date, time, description of person.

“The community are our eyes and ears and we encourage you to report all incidents as soon as you are able to by calling 101 if it’s not an emergency,” the statement added. “You can also report suspicious activity online by visiting our website: www.hampshire.police.uk