Meat thief gets suspended sentence activated

A prolific shoplifter who was given a second chance has had a suspended prison sentence activated after stealing from a shop in Orton Goldhay.

On 29 April, Edward Wilby, 34, was caught on CCTV walking into Co-Op, Ortongate shopping centre, where he picked up two joints of lamb worth £32.04 and left without attempting to pay.

He was arrested at his home in Mandeville, Orton Goldhay on Sunday (26 May) after being identified by neighbourhood policing officers and charged with the theft.

Wilby appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Monday (27 May) where he was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, which includes the activation of a 20-week suspended sentence that he was given on 25 March after being convicted of four counts of theft from a shop.

PC Alexandra Pullan, who investigated, said: “Prolific offenders such as Wilby can have a significant impact on businesses and their staff, and I would like to thank them for continuing to aid us in tackling retail crime by reporting any incidents.

“Court orders such as CBOs give us greater powers when it comes to managing prolific offenders. If they are found to be in breach of their conditions, we can arrest them and put them back before the courts.”

Wilby was made subject of a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) in July last year, and had extra conditions added by the courts on 17 May. The order states that he is not to:

• Enter the Bretton Centre, including the BP petrol station and M&S store, as well as the area bordered by Flaxlands, Rightwell East and Bretton Way.
• Enter any shop within the Ortongate shopping centre, including the Co-Op petrol station, as bordered by Misterton, Busway, footpath to rear of Ortongate shopping centre.
• Enter Tesco Express, Napier Place, Orton Wistow, or its grounds.

Anyone with information about Wilby breaching his CBO should contact police via the web chat service or online forms at www.cambs.police.uk/report.

Those without internet access should call 101.