SEVEN people were arrested for shoplifting across Warwickshire over one weekend as nationally more people turn to the crime during the cost-of-living crisis.
Shoplifting, from supermarkets in particular, rose by as much as 75 per cent last year.
There has been a huge upturn in reports of people stealing food, drink and other essentials, with almost every force in England and Wales recording an increase.
Dwayne Arnold, a 41-year-old man from Coventry, was arrested following a theft from a shop in Leamington Shopping Park on Saturday September 23.
Police were requested to attend a vehicle in the car park, where on arrival a man allegedly approached in possession in two suitcases.
Inside of those suitcases were reported to be more suitcases. In total, around £500 worth of suitcases was discovered.
Arnold has now been charged with theft from a shop and will attend Warwickshire Magistrates Court on October 20.
On Sunday September 24, a 41-year-old man and a 36-year-old man from Northampton, as well as a 39-year-old man of no fixed abode, were arrested following a reported theft at a shop in Houlton, Rugby.
The incident involved a male reportedly seen to be loading his trousers with meat, before allegedly making off without payment and climbing into a vehicle with two other males.
A vehicle allegedly containing three males and about £1,000 worth of suspected stolen items was then stopped on the A5, and the occupants arrested.
In Nuneaton, Marc Dobson, 36, from Croft Road, was arrested after an incident on Sunday afternoon in which officers allegedly saw staff at a supermarket chase after a man for stealing several items including washing powder, cheese, and steaks from the store.
Officers caught up with the individual and made an arrest.
Dobson has now been charged with theft from a shop and will appear in Warwickshire Magistrates Court on October 27.
A 34-year-old man from Nuneaton was arrested on suspicion of theft after two incidents at two different shops in the town.
One incident took place at a shop in Attleborough, where a man is reported to have entered the store and selected a bottle of beer.
The man then allegedly opened the bottle in front of staff and drank from it, before making off without payment.
He was later identified from footage taken at the location.
The second incident took place at Newton Retail Park in Nuneaton, where a man reportedly took over £380 worth of items from a shop’s shelves before allegedly leaving without payment.
The 34-year-old was later arrested for different charges and reportedly identified for the thefts in the custody suite.
Finally, Mana Gill, 28 of no fixed abode, has been charged with a series of shoplifting and violent offences in Bedworth.
