A bald shoplifter gave himself away after he snuck into a barber shop to avoid the police.
Officers arrested the 46-year-old after they caught him with a bag full of 16 hair products that he stole from Boots in Beeston, Nottingham.
Police said he is “one of city’s most prolific shoplifters” but “chose the wrong place to hide from police”.
He was arrested by plain-clothed and uniformed police team based in Nottingham city centre, also known as Operation Compass.
They have already made more than 130 arrests this year – mainly working out of plain sight so the public can’t always see them.
Dressed in casual wear – jeans, shorts, hoodies, and trainers – their rucksacks contain handcuffs, and their headphones are hooked up to the police radio.
They are also supported by uniformed officers who drive around the city in a marked van, also looking for those likely to offend.
Sergeant Jonathan Pothecary, who leads the Op Compass team, said: “This is why Op Compass is such a good team – it knows all the faces of those coming into the city to commit crime and we will continuously disrupt their day.
“Sometimes they will say ‘why don’t you leave us alone?’ and we say: ‘we will if you stop coming into Nottingham to commit crime.’
“We enforce but we also engage. Some of this crime is fuelled by drug addiction and we will offer them support but if they don’t want to take it then we will act.”
Officers also arrested a man for drug offences after he was found carrying heroin.
Two other men were also stopped and searched just outside Old Market Square, and heroin and a needle are found in a tin. They are known for causing harassment, alarm, and distress to members of the public.
Sergeant Pothecary said: “Our aim is make the city a place where criminals just can’t operate. We want people to come into Nottingham and enjoy the many facilities it has to offer and for businesses to thrive. If we continue to target those who are determined to ruin that then eventually they should realise they can’t continue down this path and not expect the consequences.
