Jail for Peterborough chocolate thief

A prolific chocolate thief who stole more than £400 worth of chocolate from a shop in Peterborough has been jailed.

Mark Smith, 41, was caught on CCTV at WH Smith at A1 Services in Peterborough on two occasions last month taking large quantities of chocolate each time.

Smith, of no fixed address, was arrested by neighbourhood officers in Hinchcliffe, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough for two counts of theft from a shop and for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) after he entered Tesco in Orton Wistow, Peterborough, on 18 August.

He appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Friday (30 August), where he was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison and is to pay £75 in compensation to WH Smith after admitting all offences.

PC Saunders, from Peterborough’s Southern Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Smith’s prolific offending has had a significant impact on the businesses that he has targeted and I would like to thank them all for their co-operation through the consistent reporting of incidents.

“Due to the CBO, we are able to have greater powers when it comes to tackling his offending as we can arrest and put him back before the courts with every breach.”

Smith is subject of a two-year CBO, which bans him from entering:

• Ortongate Shopping Centre, as bordered by Misterton and the busway footpath to rear of the centre.
• Any Tesco, Spar, or Co-Op in Peterborough

Anyone with information about Smith breaching his CBO should contact police via the web chat service or online report forms.

Those without internet access should call 101.