Security giant G4S is facing legal action after a £750,000 theft of Charlotte Tilbury beauty products from a Northampton warehouse it was guarding.
The lawsuit, brought by warehouse operator International Logistics Group (ILG), alleges “serious breaches of duty” by G4S including that it allowed criminals to carry out a sophisticated heist in January 2023.
Codes allegedly left in an unattended guard’s rucksack
According to claims filed at the High Court, a total of 242,000 Charlotte Tilbury items were stolen during two separate break-ins. ILG claims intruders exploited lax security including access codes left unattended in the reception area and in a guard’s rucksack.
Court documents allege on 7 January 2023 an intruder entered the facility at around 5pm, accessing a lockbox “without force” to disable alarms and load goods onto a vehicle.
A second group returned later that night, using the same methods to resume the theft. Despite a brief patrol at 11.20pm, the suspects were able to hide and continue unimpeded once the area was clear.
The stolen goods included a large volume of Charlotte Tilbury make-up, skincare and perfumes. ILG, which had to reimburse the beauty brand, is seeking to recover both that amount and associated legal costs from G4S.
G4S subcontracted the site’s security to another company
G4S has yet to file a defence but confirmed the site’s security services had been subcontracted to M&R Solutions Ltd, trading as Nexus National Security Network. However, ILG contends that G4S remains legally responsible regardless of subcontracting arrangements.
Documents further allege that one employee had written multiple key codes in a notepad kept in a rucksack, including for gates and the lockbox used to access critical areas of the site.
G4S intends to defend itself
A spokesperson for G4S Secure Solutions UK said the company intends to defend the claim. The parent firm, now owned by Allied Universal after a £3.8bn takeover in 2021, has previously faced scrutiny for failings, including the loss of a prison management contract in Birmingham in 2019.
The case raises broader concerns about subcontracted security protocols and the safeguarding of high-value goods in distribution centres
