In an unprecedented two-day blitz across London, the Metropolitan Police have dismantled what is being described as the largest organised shoplifting operation in UK history, arresting 32 suspects and recovering thousands of stolen goods worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Codenamed Operation Zoridon, the crackdown targeted over 120 stores suspected of buying and reselling items stolen from major retailers-from branded food and cosmetics to electronics and gaming consoles.
Nine shops were served with immediate closure orders as officers uncovered secret storage rooms packed with stolen merchandise.
At a single raid in Woolwich, police seized around 2,000 suspected stolen phones and discovered hidden compartments containing approximately £50,000 worth of gaming consoles. Investigators also found counterfeit Apple accessories and packaging.
Superintendent Luke Baldock, who led the operation, said the raids sent a clear message” to criminals:
If you profit from stolen goods, your licence will be revoked and your business shut down. Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, it funds organised gangs and fuels violence.
The Metropolitan Police deployed more than 300 officers, working with Trading Standards, Border Force, and the London Fire Brigade to execute search warrants and licensing checks across multiple boroughs.
Backed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, the operation reflects London’s growing push to curb organised retail theft, which has driven up prices and endangered shop workers.
This operation sends a strong message — if you shoplift or trade in stolen goods, you will be caught and prosecuted, Khan said.
Police Minister Sarah Jones also praised the move, pledging to end the culture of impunity for retail crime.
For too long, shop workers have faced theft and abuse from offenders who thought they were untouchable. This stops now.
To track stolen merchandise, officers used SelectaDNA technology, a synthetic liquid marker that uniquely tags items, allowing police dogs to sniff out stolen goods and trace them back to retailers.
The crackdown follows months of surveillance and intelligence-gathering on organised crime rings across London.
The Met said it has already solved 92% more shoplifting cases this year, thanks to its renewed neighbourhood policing strategy and close collaboration with local businesses.
Chief Executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, James Lowman, hailed the operation as a model for effective enforcement.
These illicit shops fuel crime and anti-social behaviour. Shutting them down delivers immediate results for communities.
With arrests, closures, and seizures mounting, Operation Zoridon stands as a major statement of intent, London’s retail thieves and their criminal networks are running out of hiding places.
