A woman has been arrested at a shop in Southall after police discovered suspected stolen goods during a licensing check as part of a London-wide crackdown on businesses selling stolen products.
Metropolitan Police officers visited the premises on 12 October 2026, where they recovered 10 bottles of Boots suncream and three bottles of Marks & Spencer wine.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. The Metropolitan Police declined to disclose the location of the shop when contacted by EALING.NEWS.
The arrest was part of a two-week operation known as Operation Zoridon, targeting shops suspected of buying stolen products from shoplifters and reselling them to customers.
Across London, officers visited around 400 shops, arrested 42 people and issued closure notices to 11 businesses. Tens of thousands of pounds worth of suspected stolen goods were seized.
The Met said shoplifting offences across London fell by 3.7% in 2025, equivalent to around 3,500 fewer offences, while the number of investigations resulting in positive outcomes doubled.
The crackdown is part of the force’s wider efforts to tackle retail crime by targeting both shoplifters and businesses suspected of buying and reselling stolen goods.
The operation also resulted in arrests and seizures in neighbouring Hounslow.
On 12 October, officers executing a warrant alongside Trading Standards seized 300 suspected stolen mobile phones and £15,000 in cash from a shop. Two men were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and a three-month closure order was granted for the premises.
Police also targeted car boot sales in Hounslow suspected of being used to sell stolen tools. Three people were arrested, while officers seized five pallets of suspected stolen tools and counterfeit Dyson products.
The Met said intelligence gathered with retailers showed that some prolific shoplifters were stealing products to order, targeting goods requested by businesses involved in reselling stolen stock.
Officers also used forensic marking technology to help identify stolen products and trace them back to the retailers they had been taken from.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes said: “Honest retailers have been clear that they want action against the minority of rogue businesses that fuel retail crime, undercut legitimate traders and damage confidence in our high streets.
“Over the last two weeks, Met officers have targeted every stage of the criminal chain, from prolific shoplifters stealing to order through to the shop owners buying and reselling stolen goods. Tens of thousands of pounds worth of suspected stolen goods have been seized, shop owners arrested and businesses closed down.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. The lead up to Christmas is vital to London’s economy and we must do everything we can to prevent criminals exploiting busy shopping periods and inflicting so much misery on our hardworking business owners and staff.”
