A blitz on shoplifting at Braintree Freeport has resulted in 25 arrests.

Braintree police mounted Operation Tower Bridge at the shopping outlet village between December 3 and January 16, to crack down on theft over the busy pre-Christmas and new year periods.

Two uniformed officers were on foot patrol liaising with plain-clothes colleagues, who kept stores and customers under observation.

The initiative followed Braintree police's Operation 3C - short for Christmas crime cracker - which ran throughout December in the town centre and using similar tactics resulted in 28 arrests, mostly for shoplifting offences.

Braintree police acting Inspector Tony Benjamin said: "Both operations were successful in sending a message to shoplifters that they'll find it tough if they target Braintree."

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Published Tuesday, January 25, 2005

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