A MAN is due to appear in court after being charged with a series of theft offences in Thurrock.

Officers were alerted to an incident in McDonald's in Tilbury shortly before 11pm on Wednesday, 27 March after a man had gone behind the payment counter and taken a cash till.

Early the following day, a man was arrested as part of a response to a separate incident in Stanford-le-Hope.

As part of the enquiries being carried out, officers were then able to link him to a number of other incidents in Tilbury and East Tilbury.

Laine Reiss Henry, 34, of no fixed abode, has now been charged with four counts of theft from a shop, one count of theft from a motor vehicle and burglary.

He was due to appear in Chelmsford Magistrates' Court today, Saturday, 30 March

Chief Inspector Paul Austin said: "Officers from across the force work determinedly to tackle shop thefts. We know the impact it can have on businesses, and indeed the employees of those businesses.

"I would always encourage businesses to report incidents to us – and though you may not see obvious and immediate action, please be assured these reports are recorded and will feed into our wider policing plans in each area of Essex."