Neighbourhood cops swooped in to stop a suspected high‑value shoplifting spree in Arnold after being in the right place at exactly the right time.
Security staff at a supermarket on Front Street raised the alarm around 6pm on Saturday (30) when they spotted a group stuffing a plastic bin with hundreds of pounds’ worth of goods.
Officers dashed in after being called on an emergency alert system and detained the trio inside the store before they could make a run for it.
A quick search of the area turned up a nearby car packed with more suspected stolen items — and it didn’t end there. Two other local shops had also reported thefts of clothing, confectionery and food.
Gianni Ionita, 18, Daianna Ionita, 20, and Bernandi Matei, 32, all of Chadwick Road, Nottingham, have now been charged with three counts of shop theft each. They’re due before Nottingham magistrates on 19 June 2026.
Inspector Steven King, Gedling’s local area commander, said the arrests showed how close cooperation with shop security pays off.
“Shop theft can have a serious impact on local businesses,” he said. “Disrupting this kind of criminality is a key part of what we do.”
