A 20-year-old man has been charged with stealing 45 streetlamps and lanterns worth an estimated £1m, police have confirmed.
John O'Sullivan, from Hertfordshire, faces 38 theft charges linked to offences across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Durham, Essex and the Thames Valley.
He also faces seven further theft charges relating to incidents in Hertfordshire between 17 September 2025 and 17 March this year.
Officers recovered around 300 lights from a property in Barkway during the investigation in January 2025.
Police said lanterns had been stolen from council offices, businesses, churches, schools and private owners, including Grade II listed 1950s ‘Richardson Candle’ street lamps taken from Cambridge city centre.
Two other people, both in their 60s, have been charged with handling stolen goods.
O'Sullivan is due to appear at Stevenage Magistrates' Court on 5 August.
