Police have charged a man after £9,000 of items were stolen from Boots stores across the country this month.

Aurel-Robertino Marin, 50, was arrested yesterday after the health and beauty retailer’s store in Dover was targeted following a spate of shoplifting offences.

Nine Boots branches have reported thefts since August 4 and were believed to be linked.

These include Borehamwood, Hertfordshire; Tooting, London; County Oak Retail Park, Crawley; Biggleswade Shopping Centre; Ravenside, Bexhill-on-Sea; High Road, London; Winchester High Street; and Rayleigh High Street.

The Dover branch was the most recent to be targeted, where a shoplifting offence was reported yesterday.

Beauty and health care items were stolen which totalled just over £9,000.

A police spokesperson said: “Aurel-Robertino Marin, 50, was arrested yesterday, as part of an investigation by the Dover Victim Based Crime team.

“Marin, of Edgware Road, London was charged with nine counts of theft and appeared at Margate Magistrates Court today.”