ESSEX police have flagged up how additional officers working in Grays town centre under an initiative entitled Operation Sceptre arrested a woman on a shoplifting spree who was detained by the work of a store detective.

The events happened on Monday when officers responded to an incident in Grays following a female having been detained after assaulting a plain clothes store detective.

Further enquiries found that this female was responsible for multiple thefts on the same day in Wilkos, Holland and Barrett and Boots.

PC Fraser from the Grays Town Centre Team, who is the officer in case said;

"Due to the swift and professional action taken by the store detective, town centre security and police, we were able to identify, detain and arrest the female to conduct further questioning.

"This expeditious result was made possible by the added presence of police in and around the town centre and the joint working approach with our partners."

The female has been charged for three counts of theft and assault by beating and is due to appear in court in March.