Man charged following string of shop thefts in Burnley

Friday, March 7, 2025

We have charged a man following a spate of shop thefts in Burnley.

Throughout last month, we received multiple reports of shoplifting at stores and, following numerous enquiries, a 19-year-old man from Colne was arrested on 5th March on suspicion of theft.

We can now tell you that yesterday, Thursday March 6th, 2025, Rilley Whitfield, 19, of Cleveland Street, Colne, was charged with 28 counts of theft and an assault. He has been remanded into custody to attend Blackburn Magistrates court today (7th March 2025).

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

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