Category Archives: Civil Recovery

The Daily Star reports that gangs of thieves have cashed in on police cuts to put shoplifting at a five-year high, with retailers saying that crooks are becoming ever more brazen.

With thieves walking out of shops with trolleys full of stolen goods, store chiefs believe shoplifters think they are unlikely to be arrested.

The Express & Star website reports that a man who stole from his employer in an attempt to pay back a £50,000 debt was caught after the business set up a sting operation.

Adrian Hale, from Walsall, worked as a picker with Brownhills company L&S Engineers – a supplier of spare parts to the construction and plant hire industries.

The Plymouth Herald reports that a wedding venue employee stole over £14,000 from his boss and blew the cash on online bookies.

Niki Jones – who falsified his CV to get the job – submitted false invoices from the internet and had the money paid into his own bank account.

The Yorkshire Times gives details of a joint operation between West Yorkshire Police and BACIL (Business Against Crime in Leeds) to run a day of action to tackle shoplifting in the city centre.

Known as ‘Operation Balmton’, the manoeuvre consisted of police officers, PCSOs and plain clothed security officers working together in teams.

The Blackpool Gazette reports that an employee of Fleetwood Town took almost £5,000 from the football club in a ticket refund scam over an eleven-month period.

David Holloway – and a colleague, ticket office worker David Hart – gave excessive refunds totalling £4,696 during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons.

Bradford’s Telegraph & Argus reports that a trusted employee and friend stole £20,000 from his boss by using company materials to carry out work for himself.

Matthew Long, a married father-of-five and a “pillar of respectability”, worked as contracts manager for Kwik Klik Hoardings, which provided shop front hoardings for large shopping centres.