Alcohol thief to spend Christmas in prison

A shoplifter who was caught stealing alcohol from a Tesco store in central Peterborough has been jailed.

Andrew Rae, 55, entered Tesco Metro in Broadway, Peterborough city centre, just after midday on Monday (13 November) and stole two bottles of Smirnoff vodka and two bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey worth £108.

He returned to the store at about 6pm and filled a basket with a further five bottles of alcohol worth £181 and left without making any attempt to pay, but was detained by store security.

Rae, of Rayner Avenue, Cardea, Peterborough, was arrested after police were called out, and later charged with two counts of theft from a shop, which he admitted at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court the following day (14 November).

He was sentenced to four months in prison and must also pay £108 in compensation to Tesco.

PC Daniel Dimeo, who investigated, said: “Rae has an extensive criminal record including 61 offences for theft.

“We are working hard to crackdown on shoplifters who are significantly affecting our local businesses, and where there is the evidence to do so, we will put them before the courts and ultimately bring them to justice.”