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You raised shoplifting as a concern, so here’s a quick local update. Good Morning everyone,
I wanted to provide an update following some excellent work by local officers targeting prolific offenders operating across Ealing and Hanwell.
On 10 September 2026, officers arrested a 27-year-old male of no fixed abode after he was detained by staff at ASDA, Uxbridge Road, Ealing, having allegedly attempted to steal alcohol from the store.
Following his arrest, officers carried out extensive enquiries and reviewed CCTV evidence from a number of incidents reported by local businesses. As a result, the male has now been linked to a series of offences committed across Ealing and Hanwell between July and September 2026.
The offences include:
Multiple shop theft offences targeting local retailers.
An allegation of robbery at Tesco Express, Boston Road, Hanwell.
A Section 20 Grievous Bodily Harm offence, where a member of store security was injured whilst attempting to prevent a theft.
The investigation identified a consistent pattern of alleged offending involving the theft of alcohol from local businesses. CCTV evidence, witness statements and police enquiries have helped build a substantial case.
These offences have had a significant impact on local businesses, employees and customers. Of particular concern was an incident in which a member of store security sustained injuries whilst carrying out their duties protecting staff and stock.
The male has now been charged in connection with these matters and is due to appear before the courts.
This result demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting local businesses, protecting retail workers and tackling those responsible for repeat offending within our communities.
I would like to make a special mention of PC Sanjay Puri, whose proactive response to the initial incident, swift arrest of the suspect and thorough handling of the investigation on the day ensured that a prolific offender was brought into custody and identified as being responsible for a number of offences across the borough.
I would also like to recognise the excellent work of PC Beth Storey, whose persistence and investigative efforts connected the suspect to a further nine offences, including the robbery and Section 20 GBH investigation. Her work in reviewing evidence, linking reports and building the evidential picture was instrumental in securing the additional charges.
I would also like to thank the staff at ASDA Uxbridge Road, Tesco Express Boston Road, witnesses and all officers involved for their assistance throughout this investigation.
The local Safer Neighbourhood Team will continue working closely with retailers and partner agencies to identify offenders, gather evidence and bring those responsible before the courts.
Thank you to everyone who continues to report crime and share information with us. Your support remains vital in helping us keep our communities safe.
If you have concerns regarding shoplifting, anti-social behaviour or criminality in your area, please continue to report them via 101, online, or 999 in an emergency.
Finally, I would be grateful if you could take a moment to rate this message and provide feedback. Your comments help us improve how we engage with and update our communities.
 The Met is cracking down on street crime, like shoplifting, people doing drugs and phone-snatching. We’ve put hundreds more officers on the frontlines of community crime-fighting teams, upping visible patrols in the right ‘hot spots’ so we can deter and catch criminals. We’re now arresting more than 1,000 extra criminals every month and seeing ‘neighbourhood crime’ down 14%. But we know there is more to do. That’s why we’re stepping up our use of technology, increasing our operations and working with retailers to make it less appealing for criminals to commit these crimes in the first place. If you notice anything suspicious or witness anyone shoplifting, please report it as soon as possible. These reports are invaluable in letting us build a picture of when and where shop lifters operate, meaning we can be in the right place at the right time to arrest those responsible. For more guidance, see our page on how to spot a shoplifter. | 
