CCTV: Man sought by police after Perfumery & Co’s Lymington High Street branch hit in another shoplifting
A Lymington High Street store has been hit by another shoplifting incident, weeks after its co-owner called for more combative action.
Police have released a CCTV picture of a man they want to speak to after Perfumery & Co was targeted around 1.50pm on Friday 27th September.
A man entered and picked up items worth about £120 before leaving without paying.
This incident follows shoplifting at the same branch on 29th August, when about £400 of Clarins skincare products was stolen.
In the wake of that incident, David McConnachie, who runs Perfumery & Co with partner Anthony Harwood, said he wanted police and New Forest District Council to be more proactive in supporting independent traders hit by retail crime.
The pair also run a branch at The Furlong in Ringwood, which was hit in December 2022 – just weeks after launching. An overnight raider stole a range of men’s and women’s fragrances.
The Lymington branch also had around 60 bottles of expensive perfume snatched in a smash-and-grab not long after opening in summer 2020.
“It breaks our hearts as an independent business when this sort of thing happens,” Mr McConnachie told the A&T in September.
“We should be supporting all businesses. I don’t think that at any business this should be tolerated.
“There should be repercussions.”
He added: “The magistrates and police need to respond quicker because this is not petty crime to us.”
Police recently announced plans to pilot a scheme with NFDC to combat shoplifting in Lymington.
But details of this have not yet been revealed.
On the latest theft, a Hampshire force spokesperson said: “As part of our enquiries we are appealing for information to help identify the man in this image.
“If you are this man or know who he is, please call 101 quoting reference 44240421023.”
People can also get in touch online at hampshire.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org or on 0800 555 111.
