Professional gangs of women are targeting ladies’ clothing stores in Shrewsbury in stings raking in thousands of pounds worth of stock, a retail security group said today.

Shopwatch, which has a number of members in the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside shopping centres and tackles retail crime, said several outlets had been hit by the shoplifters who rob them in highly sophisticated raids.

Richard Goodchild, scheme manager, today said that in one incident staff at River Island chased after a gang of four women before they dropped a bag of clothes worth about £600.

Mr Goodchild, a former policeman, added that one shop, which is not a member of the scheme, had been hit on two occasions with stock worth a total of about £1,500 stolen.

He said: “We have been targeted by at least two professional gangs, particularly on Saturday afternoons.

“We have got CCTV in the centre and we have got footage of the gangs on them.”

Mr Goodchild said both gangs were believed to be from the West Midlands area.

He said: “It has been going on for about a month. We have got a problem at the moment but it will be resolved soon.”

Mr Goodchild said staff at River Island were able to act because they received messages via the radio link as part of their membership of Shopwatch.

Sergeant Claire Greenaway, from Shrewsbury Town Centre Police Station, said that about three or four shoplifting incidents had been reported.

She said: “They invariably target displays at the front of stores near the exit.”

Anyone with any information about the gangs can call police on 0300 333 3000.