Four men have been charged in connection with a robbery of the Petticoat Lane Co-op store in London’s East End, Scotland Yard has confirmed today.

It follows investigations into a series of 27 ‘commercial thefts’ in the Spitalfields and Stepney areas since October. These include burglaries, robberies and thefts from various stores such as the Co-Op in Middlesex Street, near Aldgate, on December 9 when £1,500 of alcohol and cigarettes were taken.

The four charged with conspiracy to commit robbery are Guled Jama, 27, Alinur Rahman, 35, Syed Meah, 33, and Abdul Hannan, 35, none of whom have fixed addresses.

Three are being detained in custody, Jama, Meah and Hannan, while Rahman has been given police bail.

All four appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday next week, April 13.