10 charged with 98 shoplifting offences in Doncaster

Ten men have been charged with shoplifting goods worth more than £6,000 from a city's stores.

The men are accused of 98 separate offences in Doncaster over a two-week period in September and October.

They are alleged to have stolen thousands of pounds worth of items from stores including One Stop, Co-op, B&M and Heron Foods.

It comes after three men were jailed for stealing almost £2,000 worth of products, including 29 Kit Kats, 37 Dairy Milk bars and 19 Galaxy chocolate bars from shops in Doncaster.

The 10 charged are: Kristopher Becker, 43, Robert Kerry, 32, Jack Allchurch, 28, Jake Natale, 27, Tommy Knott, 25, Michael Peterson, 36, Dean Cooper, 26, Darren Anderson, 35, John Prendergast, 40, and Andrew Drury, 36.

South Yorkshire Police say officers have been carrying out targeted patrols and specialist operations to tackle business crime.

PC Hazel Smith, of Doncaster's retail crime team, said: "We remain committed to tackling criminality as a whole in Doncaster city centre and we know that retail crime affects hard-working businesses and shop workers.

"We want to stop thieves and shoplifters in their tracks and we want to ensure Doncaster is safe and enjoyable place for people to live, work and visit.

"Our commitment to combating retail crime remains steadfast and we want to continue working with businesses and cultivate a strong relationship so we can eradicate shoplifting once and for all."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.