Police raid asylum hotel and detain two individuals accused of running a shoplifting network, uncovered by The Sun news outlet.
In a significant development, two male migrants were arrested in London on Thursday, August 14, as part of an ongoing investigation into a shoplifting racket. The arrests took place at the Holiday Inn in Wembley, North West London, following a raid at 9.30am.
The men, aged 36 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of theft. One of the arrested men was reportedly wearing a £180 Boss jacket, raising suspicions of their involvement in the racket.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed the arrests, stating that rooms at the hotel were searched during the raid. The arrested individuals are currently in custody.
The shoplifting racket investigation has been in the spotlight recently due to reports of shoplifting sprees by teams of thieves leaving a taxpayer-funded hotel to hit London's West End. The Sun previously reported on these activities, which apparently involve the use of alarm-dodging tactics to loot thousands of pounds of gear from stores such as Liberty.
The information about the shoplifting activities was provided by a whistleblower who works for a security firm on Oxford Street. The whistleblower reported a "huge influx" of gangs using these tactics.
Robert Jenrick, Shadow Justice Secretary, has commented on the arrests, stating that the individuals should face the full force of the law and be deported if found guilty. Jenrick's sentiments were echoed by the Met Police's Commander Andrew Featherstone, who acknowledged The Sun's assistance in the investigation.
The Met Police have reported a 163% increase in solved cases this year compared to the same period last year, suggesting a renewed focus on combating crime in the city. However, it is unclear at this stage whether these arrests are directly linked to the increase in solved cases.
The investigation into the shoplifting racket is ongoing, with more details expected to emerge in the coming days. The public will be updated as more information becomes available.
The arrests of two men at the Holiday Inn in Wembley, London, are related to the ongoing investigation of a shoplifting racket in the city, as reported by The Sun and other general-news outlets. The Metropolitan Police's focus on this issue, as evidenced by Commander Andrew Featherstone's comments and the 163% increase in solved cases, is aimed at addressing the problem in the context of crime-and-justice discussions in politics.
