Peterborough advent calendar thief jailed

A prolific shoplifter who committed 14 offences in the space of 17 days has been jailed.

Between 17 October and 3 November, Mark Smith, 40, helped himself to a total of £1,138.35 worth of goods including advent calendars, selection boxes, crates of chocolate, biscuits, laundry products and alcohol, from six different shops in the Hampton and Orton areas of Peterborough.

Smith, of no fixed address, was identified from CCTV footage and arrested in Orton Goldhay by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 7 November.

He appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (8 November), where he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to 14 counts of theft from a shop.

• Theft of milkshake, milk, popcorn, cheese and confectionary worth £33 from Tesco Express, Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale, on 17 October
• Theft of Galaxy chocolate worth £76.50 from Tesco Express, Wistow Way, Orton Wistow, on 19 October
• Theft of laundry products worth £67.35 from QD in Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 21 October
• Theft of biscuits, advent calendars and selection boxes worth £120 from Tesco Express, Wistow Way, Orton Wistow, on 21 October
• Theft of advent calendars worth £160 from Tesco Express, Wistow Way, Orton Wistow, on 22 October
• Theft of fizzy drinks worth £40 from Iceland in Ortongate Shopping Centre on 23 October
• Theft of chocolate biscuit bars worth £100 from Iceland, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 25 October
• Theft of fizzy drinks worth £50 from Iceland, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 26 October
• Theft of fizzy drinks worth £50 from Iceland, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 28 October
• Theft of gin worth £109.50 from Co-op, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 29 October
• Theft of alcohol worth £70 from Co-op, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 29 October
• Theft of chocolate biscuits worth £69 from Tesco Express, Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale, on 29 October
• Theft of fizzy drinks worth £40 from Iceland, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 30 October
• Theft of Galaxy chocolate bars worth £153 from B&M, Ortongate Shopping Centre, on 3 November

Smith also admitted 13 other offences which were taken into consideration by the magistrate when imposing the sentence.

PC Freya Mackinnon, who investigated, said: “Prolific shoplifters have a detrimental impact on our business communities and it is something that we are working hard to tackle.

“For repeat offenders such as Smith, we are able to use these reports to build an application for a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which we will now be taking to the courts with the intention of getting him banned from entering the commercial areas of the city.”