8:20am Friday 27th November 2009
PERFUME thieves are targeting Billericay.
Several stores in the town, including Lloyds Pharmacy, Superdrug and Boots, have been hit in recent weeks.
Each time, crooks have descended on the High Street and helped themselves to hauls of valuable perfumes, totalling around £1,500.
The worst-hit store was Lloyds Pharmacy where on just one occasion a man walked in and left with £750 worth of Christian Dior fragrances.
The brazen criminal even returned to the shop a second time to help himself to more goods, but was disturbed by staff and ran off.
He had again been trying to steal more Christian Dior products.
Sgt Cath Henderson, of Billericay police, said bobbies on the beat are now beefing up their patrols in the area.
She said: “We are in the planning stages of an operation to combat theft in the High Street, which always sees a slight seasonal rise in the run-up to Christmas.
“This will involve having extra patrols in both uniform and plain clothes during shop opening hours, speaking to shops and businesses to raise awareness and giving crime prevention advice.”
Sgt Henderson said Billericay’s CCTV network should help their crackdown.
She added: “Anyone caught stealing in Billericay will be dealt with robustly.
“We are targeting known individuals and would also welcome any information from the public.”
If you have any information, call police at Billericay on 0300 3334444, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
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