A MEAT thief who blighted convenience stores has been caught red-handed.

The 38-year-old, from Manchester, was arrested on Friday after around £700 of meat was reported stolen from shops in south Warrington.

Police from Warrington South NPU appealed for the man’s whereabouts in last week’s Warrington Guardian.

Sgt Lee Harrison, from Warrington South NPU, said: “It was a spike of high level thefts from local stores. Police officers managed to track him to a particular area.”

The defendant will appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court later this month.