'Stolen' alcohol for sale in city shop

10:00am Monday 4th March 2013 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

Pop In shop which could lose its drink licence Pop In shop which could lose its drink licence

A city centre shop could lose its drink licence after it was caught selling bottles of vodka and champagne which appeared to have been stolen.

Marks & Spencer champagne was on sale for half its usual price in the Pop In shop in North Road, Brighton, when trading standards visited.

M&S confirmed that they sold the booze for £29, but it was on sale in the North Laine shop for £14.99, Joanne Player, Trading Standards officer, said in a report.

She said the shop also had on sale Smirnoff vodka and Bells whiskey which was destined for supermarkets including Co-op, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco.

Officers found the caps of these bottles broken, as though security tags had been pulled from them.

Police and trading standards have now applied to Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing committee for Pop In’s licence to be revoked.

Suspected counterfeit super-strength lager, believed to have been imported from Poland, was also found during a raid on the shop in November and a follow-up visit in December last year.

While officers were in the shop street drinkers were served.

Ms Player, in her report which will be presented to the committee, wrote: “Trading Standards has received some intelligence that some supermarkets had seen an increase in the levels of thefts of branded spirits.

“The premises are a source of alcohol to the street drinking community with the associated impact on crime and disorder.

“Trading Standards has no confidence that the management and licence holders have the competence to run these premises.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said the licence of the shop to sell booze would be reviewed at a meeting on March 12.

The Argus visited the shop but no one was available for comment.

Comments(16)

whereisthe...? says...
11:42am Mon 4 Mar 13

Right, now lets see if ANYTHING actually happens about this, or whether the cowards at the council hand out ANOTHER pathetic slap on the wrist and paltry fine... (as they have done in endless similar cases like this over the years)

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Skidrow says...
12:11pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Hmm. M & S own brand champers on sale for half price. How can it be anything but nicked or counterfeit. Both crimes as far as I know. Shouldn't plod be doing something about it? How many times do you need to get caught before you get prosecuted?

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getThisCoalitionOut says...
12:16pm Mon 4 Mar 13

So did the council checkers who think the alcohol is obviously stolen bring in the police or not?

If not, why not?

Soldiers who are so traumatised and about to commit suicide get charged by the police and taken to court but thieves don't ....... DISGUSTING

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BiggerH says...
12:21pm Mon 4 Mar 13

if M&S didn't charge a ripoff price for a bottle of fizz, then there wouldn't have been a need for this to happen.

M&S are the real crooks here!

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Cave Johnson says...
12:39pm Mon 4 Mar 13

BiggerH wrote:
if M&S didn't charge a ripoff price for a bottle of fizz, then there wouldn't have been a need for this to happen. M&S are the real crooks here!
Idiot. This shop is selling alcohol which could blind you!

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Charismatic Andrew says...
12:48pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Cave Johnson wrote:
BiggerH wrote:
if M&S didn't charge a ripoff price for a bottle of fizz, then there wouldn't have been a need for this to happen. M&S are the real crooks here!
Idiot. This shop is selling alcohol which could blind you!
rubbi5h!!! 1've bean buY1n9 a1c0hol 5rom th15 5h0p f0R yEar5 aNd There'5 nOTh1n9 wrOn9 w1th mY eyES19ht. nOTh1n9!!!!

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clubrob6 says...
12:56pm Mon 4 Mar 13

If the shop is being dishonest about what they sell ie stolen goods I bet you they don't pay their due taxes either.But I suppose that's too obvious to be investigated.

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Crystal Ball says...
12:58pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Why do most of these type of stores have such ridiculous names?

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GIVE UP says...
12:59pm Mon 4 Mar 13

So if the shop is selling stolen and illegal alcohol, why haven't the customs and excise been called in to check on non payment of duty

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displayed says...
4:58pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Look they just wanna sell the stuff, they dont care where it comes from!

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Thetruth666 says...
6:14pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Is it fair to say the owners probably don't drink alcohol themselves?

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John Steed says...
6:58pm Mon 4 Mar 13

check the toiletries, the chewing gum, razor blades and batteries as well.
I have made a good number of posts over the years about this sort of thing, many of these shops also buy mobile phones in as a stolen and barred phone works perfectly well when sent out of western europe. and the staff often do not get paid minimum wage so need to make a bit on the side. however if the M&S bubbly was on sale at half price what was the buying in price?

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leobrighton says...
8:52pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Loads of these dodgy type shops around the North Laine - Station area obviously aimed at drunk people on the way home. Council don't care, they get caught selling poison then loose an alcohol licence for a couple of months then get it back and carry on. About time councillors could be sued if anyone died they should pay for their incompetence and greed.

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BURIRAM says...
7:24am Tue 5 Mar 13

Why can't the trading standards remove all the stock and let the shop owner apply to have it returned.

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andyfm says...
9:50am Tue 5 Mar 13

I,me just of to "Pop in" to do a bit of shoplifting????
Any-one want something????

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davyboy says...
9:52am Tue 5 Mar 13

shut it down immediately. also, charge the owner with the theft of this alcohol unless he can say where he got it from.

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