Man charged following spate of shop thefts in Sholing and Bitterne

A man has been charged in connection with a series of shop thefts in Southampton.

The charges follow reports of multiple incidents between 21 December and 22 January, during which items were stolen from Co-op and Tesco stores in the Sholing and Bitterne areas of the city.

The stores affected include the Co-op on South East Road, the Co-op on Portsmouth Road, and the Tesco Express on Butts Road.

Following an investigation, a 43-year-old man, Jan Magnus Hansen, of no fixed address, was arrested and subsequently charged with five counts of theft from a shop, as well as breaching court bail conditions.

He is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court today (30 January).