A man has been charged in connection with falsely reporting a burglary.

As part of Operation Target, Andre Lucien, 29, of Kings Road, South Norwood, was charged with fraud by false representation, wasting police time and possession of a class B drugs.

He is due to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on July 19.

DCI Jane Corrigan, from Croydon CID said: “Operation Target continues in Croydon and anyone involved in serious acquisitive crime can expect the spotlight to be on them.

“False reporting of crime wastes our time and resources, diverting our focus from the genuine crimes that need investigating.

“However, we will not tolerate false reporting, and those thinking about making a false report should think twice, as we will seek to bring anybody doing so to justice.

“Burglary is a real violation of a persons private home. Most items can be replaced, however the sense of security is a different matter entirely.

“Our focus is on providing a service to those who are genuine victims of crime."