Met Police raid more than 120 shops suspected of selling stolen goods

The Metropolitan Police have raided more than 120 shops suspected of selling stolen goods in the force’s largest ever crackdown on shoplifting.

Officers arrested 32 people and seized thousands of items, including food, make-up and electrical devices, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

More than 300 officers were involved in the blitz over two days this month targeting stores suspected of selling goods stolen from major retailers at discounted prices.

Nine shops have been served with closure notices as part of Operation Zoridon.

Superintendent Luke Baldock said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and the gangs involved are organised and have links to drugs and violence.

“Rogue shopkeepers who trade in stolen goods are funding criminal activity and driving up costs for everyone.

“They’re keeping thieves in business at the expense of hard-working, law-abiding retailers.”

Seven people were arrested and around 2,000 phones seized in a raid on a shop in Woolwich, southeast London.

Police body-worn footage shows officers entering the store before prying open an office door to discover “loads and loads and loads” of suspected stolen devices in cabinets.

A room hidden behind a wall panel in the basement was also found to contain more phones and other devices, while a secret compartment contained around £50,000 worth of gaming consoles.

Apple confirmed some of the phones, accessories and packaging were fake.