Moment police swoop on prolific shoplifters mid-way through frantic raid on Co-op store
1 April 2025, 17:04
The dramatic moment Met officers swooped on shoplifters as they raided an east London Co-op store has been caught on camera.
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Neighbourhood officers swooped on the thieves as part of the sting operation on December 22 of last year, with two of the three suspects apprehended as they raided the Hackney branch of the supermarket chain.
Donavan Soloman, 37, and Lee Moise,38, can be seen clambering over the tills, with CCTV and bodycam footage capturing the pair as they attempt to clear the shelves of tobacco products.
Wearing balaclavas and wearing gloves, the masked duo help themselves to armfuls of products at the Homerton High Street store before officers emerge from the stockroom.
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The proactive operation at the store came "in response to concerns about shoplifting" the Met said, with officers going on to detained the two men.
Both were later charged with burglary and criminal damage.
Met Police vid - Hackney shoplifters
Soloman, of Avenue Road, Beckenham, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Wood Green Crown Court and was later sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment.
Moise, of Croyland Road, Edmonton, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Snaresbrook Crown Court and was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.
Soloman had had four previous convictions for theft, while Moise also held 10 past convictions.
Inspector Mohammed Uddin, from the neighbourhood policing team in Homerton, said: "Across the Met we're focused on tackling the most prolific shoplifters as we know the fear they cause retail workers and the negative impact their offending has on communities.
"We're working with local business owners to understand their concerns and we'll continue our crackdown with operations such as this one as well as our regular patrols."
Enquiries to identify a third man involved in the incident are ongoing, the Met confirmed.
