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Police have charged a man with a string of shoplifting offences in communities bordering Wigan.

The allegations relate to incidents at stores in Parbold, Skelmersdale and Up Holland between December and April during which items including meat, coffee and Easter eggs were stolen.

Simon Ferguson, 35, of Ferndale, Skelmersdale, was arrested on Tuesday (April 15) and has now been charged with eight counts of theft from a shop.

He will appear at Preston Magistrates Court tomorrow morning (April 17).

Simon Ferguson was arrested by police on Tuesday in connection with a string of thefts from shops in the area

Operation Vulture is Lancashire Constabulary’s response to shoplifting across the county, backed by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.

The operation sees officers undertaking hotspot patrolling, increasing their visibility in targeted areas and creating spartnerships with retailers across the county to better share intelligence, get a deeper understanding of retail crime and identify more offenders.

Man accused of multiple shopliftings in villages near Wigan