Southsea Shoplifting Spree: Man Nabbed Over £2,200 of Stolen Goods
Simon Collins from Ivy Close, Southsea, has been hit with 17 shoplifting charges after reportedly stealing thousands of pounds worth of meat, chocolate, and other goods across multiple local stores.
Serial Thief Targets Co-Op and Sainsbury’s
Between Saturday 22 August and Wednesday 4 November, Collins allegedly raided various shops repeatedly. The spree included:
- 22 August: Steals £120 of tobacco and chocolate from Sainsburys Local on Albert Road, hitting the store three times in one day.
- 23 August: Takes £116.50 worth of meat and cheese from the Co-Op on Fawcett Road.
- 27 August: Swipes £280 in meat, fish, cheese, and chocolate from the Co-Op on Copnor Road, plus four steaks from Elm Grove store.
- 28 August: Grabs £18 of chocolate from Co-Op Twyford Avenue.
- 5 September: Walks out with £200 of meat and chocolate from Co-Op at The Hard.
- September to November: Continues pilfering from multiple Co-Op outlets, netting meat, cheese, and chocolate worth hundreds of pounds on various dates.
- 21 September: Steals a massive £395 of chocolate from Sainsbury’s Local, Albert Road.
Operation Monster Cracks Down on Shoplifting
Collins was arrested and has been remanded in custody. He appeared at portsmouth/" title="Portsmouth" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Portsmouth Magistrates Court on 27 November.
The investigation falls under Operation Monster, a crackdown involving Portsmouth police working closely with local businesses to tackle aggravated shoplifting and protect community retailers.
Shoppers and shop owners have welcomed the clampdown, hoping it will end this costly crime spree.
