Man Charged After £25,000 Shoplifting Spree Targeting Boots Stores Across England and Wales
A man accused of stealing £25,000 worth of goods from Boots stores across England and Wales has been charged following a major police investigation involving multiple forces and retail crime units.
Brendan Brain, 38, formerly of Milton Road, Southampton, is alleged to have committed a series of thefts and burglaries between March 2024 and April 2025, primarily targeting Boots health and beauty stores in 10 different areas.
According to Boots, 40 new shoplifting incidents have been linked to the suspect, including 11 thefts in Sussex, most of them in West Sussex.
Multi-Force Investigation Leads to Arrest
Brain was arrested on 5 June by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, following extensive collaboration between Boots’ in-house security teams, Sussex Police’s Business Crime Team, and law enforcement agencies across the UK.
He has now been charged with 12 counts of shoplifting and two counts of burglary, and has been remanded in custody pending a court appearance at Staines Magistrates’ Court on 29 September 2025.
Police Praise National Collaboration
PC Chris Bishop, based in Worthing, coordinated Sussex Police’s efforts and described the arrest as the result of a strategic partnership-driven approach:
“This case is a good example of our targeted, partnership-led approach to address retail crime by focusing on priority offenders.
We strive to work collaboratively with Boots and other businesses to reduce their losses and bring high harm offenders to justice.”
Ongoing Commitment to Combat Retail Theft
Sussex Police reiterated their zero-tolerance stance on organised retail crime, emphasising ongoing efforts to support retailers, improve intelligence-sharing, and secure convictions against serial offenders.
Boots is one of several major retailers working closely with police to tackle repeat theft and retail vulnerability as part of national business crime initiatives.
