Man charged for shoplifting offences in Portsmouth

Officers investigating a number of shoplifting offences in Portsmouth have charged a 30-year-old man.

Jay Marsh of Hudson Road, Southsea, has been charged with two shoplifting offences, two criminal damage offences and three assault offences in relation to the following incidents, which occurred in November 2020 and January 2021:

• On Thursday 19 November at 6.15pm, a number of meat products worth around £27 were stolen from the Co-op store on Havant Road.
• On Friday 15 January 2021, shortly before 9.05am, a man entered the Farmfoods store on Fratton Road and stole several jars of coffee, totalling around £13.50. When approached by staff, he caused criminal damage to the store’s windows and assaulted two members of staff and a member of the public.

Marsh has been remanded in custody and will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Friday 22 January.

The investigation forms part of Operation Monster, which sees local officers in Portsmouth work with local businesses to tackle aggravated shoplifting and other offences against them.