The Metropolitan Police has carried out its biggest-ever operation against organised retail theft, arresting 32 people and seizing thousands of stolen items in a two-day crackdown on shops suspected of trading in stolen goods.
More than 300 officers took part in Operation Zoridon, which saw coordinated raids on over 120 businesses across London believed to be buying stolen products from major retailers and reselling them at discounted prices. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of goods – including branded food, beauty items and electronics – were recovered, and nine shops were served with closure notices.
The arrests were made for a range of offences, including handling stolen goods, drug crimes and immigration violations. Most of those detained have since been released on bail.
Superintendent Luke Baldock, who led the operation, said the raids sent “a clear message” to those profiting from retail crime.
“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime,” he said. “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.
We’ve made arrests, seized stolen goods and issued closure orders. We will now need the support of the courts to secure longer closure orders and shut down these illicit shops for good,” Baldock added.
Among the most significant discoveries was a mobile phone shop in Woolwich, where officers arrested seven people and seized around 2,000 mobile phones believed to be stolen. A hidden room behind a wall panel contained more electronics, including an estimated £50,000 worth of gaming consoles. Apple confirmed that many of the seized items and accessories were counterfeit.
Officers raiding a convenience store in Willesden, where they discovered suspected stolen goodsMetropolitan Police
Other raids uncovered large quantities of stolen or counterfeit goods. In Bromley, officers seized over 150 suspected stolen items – including LEGO sets, speakers and beauty products – along with £70,000 in cash and several luxury watches. In Willesden, officers seized £1,500 worth of goods ranging from Waterstones umbrellas to designer sunglasses, while an off-licence in Hanwell was found stocking own-brand Lidl products and Nespresso pods.
The operation, months in the making, was supported by Trading Standards, the London Fire Brigade and Border Force. Officers also used innovative tracing technology such as SelectaDNA, a synthetic liquid that marks stolen goods with a unique identifier linking them back to retailers. A specially trained dog helped detect the markings during searches.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan praised the “major action” and said it showed that “organised gangs stealing to order” will face justice.
“This operation sends a message that if you shoplift or trade in stolen goods, you will be brought to justice,” Khan said. “We’ll continue working with the Met to tackle the crimes of most concern to Londoners as we build a safer London for everyone.”
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood, who grew up helping in her family’s corner shop, said she understood the toll retail theft takes on communities.
“There is nothing ‘low-level’ about these crimes,” she said. “This government is putting 3,000 more neighbourhood police on the streets to catch these criminals and bring them to justice.”
Policing and crime minister Sarah Jones added that tougher laws and stronger enforcement are being rolled out nationwide.
“For too long, shop workers have been devastated by theft and abuse,” she said. “We want to see operations like this replicated across the country.”
The Met said it has already solved 92 per cent more shoplifting cases this year as it steps up neighbourhood policing and partnerships with retailers to curb the surge in retail crime across the capital.