Peterborough shoplifter snared by off-duty police officer

A Peterborough shoplifter who stole alcohol in front of an off-duty police officer has had a suspended prison sentence activated.

Kyle Genower, 27, entered Morrisons in Lincoln Road, Walton, on Tuesday (2 July) and, unbeknown to him, was spotted by the off-duty officer as he put two bottles of whiskey worth a total of £36 in his rucksack and went to leave without paying.

The officer confronted Genower and once they identified themselves to him as a police officer, he opened his rucksack to show the bottles and was detained until response officers arrived.

Genower, of no fixed address, was charged with the theft and appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (3 July) where he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, which includes the activation of a suspended sentence he was given on 24 June after being convicted of attempted theft from a shop and three counts of theft from a shop.

PC Nicholls, who investigated, said: “Genower was given a second chance by the courts when he was given a suspended sentence, but he decided to ignore it and commit the offence the following week.

“The off-duty police officer was in the right place at the right time, and I’m glad that we were able to quickly arrest Genower and put him back before the courts.”