Shoplifter tried to run from officers

A prolific shoplifter who tried to run away from police has been jailed.

On 10 April, Brendan Keating, 25, entered TK Maxx in Brotherhood Retail Park, Peterborough, picked up a coat worth £79.99 and ran out of the shop without attempting to pay. After staff were unable to stop Keating and recover the stolen goods, they reported the theft to police.

Later that day, officers were dispatched to Peterborough city centre after CCTV operators spotted Keating in Long Causeway. After a short foot chase, he was arrested in Midgate car park and later charged with theft from a shop.

Keating, of Belvoir Way, Welland, appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (11 April) and was sentenced to three weeks in prison after admitting the theft.

He has also been ordered to pay £79.99 in compensation to TK Maxx.

PC Niamh Skipworth, who investigated, said: “Thanks to the shop immediately reporting the theft to us, we were able to quickly locate and arrest Keating.

“In order to continue our work on tackling retail crime in the city, I would like to encourage businesses to report incidents, regardless of value, to us so we can identify offenders and put them before the courts.”