SIX men are due in court next week accused of ripping off supermarkets in and around Ipswich by using a barcode scam.

SIX men are due in court next week accused of ripping off supermarkets in and around Ipswich by using a barcode scam.

They were charged after a seven-month long investigation by detectives based at Woodbridge police station.

The inquiry began when three arrests were made at Bennett's car park in Beardmore Park, Martlesham Heath, last November.

Three further arrests were then made in May.

Among the allegations is that Asda in Whitehouse Road, Ipswich, and the Tesco stores in Copdock and Martlesham were targeted as part of a scam.

The accusations are believed to surround electrical items such as dvds, mobile phones and satellite navigation systems, which were purchased at the superstores.

A quantity of cash was also been seized by police as part of the investigation.

The accused all come from Dover in Kent.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said Jamie Archibald, 22, of Mayfield Avenue, Damien Lee, 28, of Tower Hamlets Road, Ryan Grey, 28, of Folkestone Road, Gavin Seymour, 25, of Winnipeg Close, Daniel Slesser, 23, of Clarendon Street, and Steven Watson, 27, of Tower Street, are charged with conspiracy to steal electrical goods.

Gray and Lee are also accused of possession of counterfeit barcodes and receipts for use in a fraud.

The first hearing of their cases took place before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court in Ipswich.

They have now been committed to Ipswich Crown Court where their next appearance is scheduled to take place on July 7.