A man has been arrested on suspicion of cleaning up with Henry vacuum cleaners across Brighton and Hove.
The 32-year-old Brighton man was arrested on Friday (8 February) and accused of stealing 16 vacuum cleaners since late November.
Sussex Police said that the suspect had been bailed until Thursday 4 April while officers make further inquiries.
His arrest followed a call from Journeys Hostel in Richmond Place, Brighton, shortly before 8pm on Thursday (7 February) after a vacuum cleaner was borrowed earlier in the day and not returned.
Police had been contacted previously by several businesses complaining that a man had asked to borrow a vacuum cleaner and not returned it.
The suspect was arrested in relation to vacuum cleaner thefts from
- Stallion Chemists in Preston Drove, Brighton, on Thursday 22 November
- Cineworld at Brighton Marina on Sunday 2 December
- The Battle of Trafalgar pub in Guildford Road, Brighton, also on Sunday 2 December
- The Bells Club in Peacehaven on Friday 7 December
- The King and Queen pub in Grand Parade, Brighton, on Monday 10 December
- To Be Worn Again in Kensington Gardens, Brighton, on Friday 21 December
- The Brighton Electric Recording Company in Coombe Terrace, Brighton, on Saturday 12 January
- Taxi Link in Albion Street, Brighton, on Tueday 15 January
- Premises in Ditchling Road, Brighton, on Wednesday 16 January
- The George Payne pub, formerly the Kendal Arms, in Payne Avenue, Hove, on Wednesday 23 January
- Tenon Recovery in Queen’s Road, Brighton, on Wednesday 30 January
- Mulberry Express in Upper St James’s Street, Brighton, on Monday 4 February
- The Seattle Hotel at Brighton Marina on Monday 4 February
- Simplicare on the Freshfield Industrial Estate in Brighton on Monday 4 February
- Journeys Hostel in Richmond Place, Brighton, on Thursday 7 February
Anyone else who has been conned in a similar way is asked to call Sussex Police on 101.