A police squad set up to stem the rising tide of shoplifting has arrested 93 members of organised crime gangs behind retail theft in seven months.
Operation Pegasus has "impacted 28 organised crime groups and high-harm individuals" responsible for more than £4 million in losses to businesses, the National Police Chiefs' Council said. Official figures released in October showed that shoplifting had hit a new 20-year high. As part of the operation, last month two men and a woman who were key figures in an organised crime gang responsible for around 800 offences have been jailed.
Operation Pegasus, which gathers intelligence on retail crime, received 92 referrals from retailers and other organisations, which led police to identify 228 offenders whose names were previously unknown. The team has also identified 70 vehicles being used in organised retail crime. So far, 32 of the 93 arrested offenders have appeared in court, and five have been deported.
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