Two arrested for city centre burglaries as Operation Shepherd continues

Two men have been arrested and charged with a string of business burglaries in Liverpool city centre as Merseyside Police continues its Christmas operation, known as Operation Shepherd.

The operation is Merseyside Police’s annual campaign to prevent and reduce crime and keep communities safe during the festive period. It is an intelligence-led policing operation that tackles a variety of crime types including burglary, which in the past has risen on the run up to Christmas.

Alan Goodman, 41, of no fixed address, was arrested on Thursday 14 December and has been charged with committing 22 burglaries in the city centre. He has subsequently been remanded in custody. This series of burglaries occurred between October and December this year, with city centre business premises being targeted and approximately £20,000 worth of goods being stolen.

Christopher Reeves, 33, of no fixed address, was arrested on Saturday 16 December and charged with one burglary. The investigation into three other burglaries continues and in the meanwhile, he has also been remanded in custody, having been wanted for recall to prison.

Inspector Jack Woodward of the Neighbourhood Policing team in Liverpool said: “Business burglary is one of our priorities in Liverpool city centre, and as part of Operation Shepherd, our officers have been conducting high visibility patrols, liaising with retailers and other businesses, and targeting known offenders to minimise the impact this crime has on our communities.

“Merseyside Police is relentless in the pursuit of offenders, and we will use all resources available to find them. These charges have been brought about thanks to an eagle-eyed officer who recognised Goodman from our wanted list, and the actions of city centre officers, response officers and detectives who have worked together to put these two prolific burglars before the courts.

“The burglary of business premises is not a victimless crime – it can impact on people’s livelihoods, their income and can of course have an emotional impact on victims. I hope these arrests show that we have a zero-tolerance approach to burglary in Merseyside.

“We will continue to work with our local businesses and communities to deter and prevent business burglaries and would welcome any information from the community about other burglaries or the sale of stolen goods.”

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