Police have arrested two women following thefts from shops in Preston and South Ribble this week.

Officers were called to TK Maxx at the Capitol Centre just before 5pm Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

It was reported around £180 worth of handbags had been stolen and a 56-year-old woman from Preston was arrested on suspicion of theft.

In a separate incident, another woman has been arrested following a theft from Tesco on Longridge Road, Preston on Sunday (August 25). It was reported that almost £300 worth of items had been taken.

Following numerous enquiries, a 30-year-old woman from Preston was arrested yesterday on suspicion of theft.

Both are currently in custody waiting to be questioned.

A police spokesperson said: “Operation vulture is Lancashire Constabulary’s response to shoplifting across the county, backed by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.

“The operation sees dedicated officers undertaking hotspot patrolling, increasing their visibility in targeted areas and creating strong partnerships with retailers across the county to better share intelligence, get a deeper understanding of retail crime and identify more offenders.”