Chocolate thief breached court order

A thief who breached a court order by stealing more than £400 worth of items from shops in Peterborough has been jailed.

Mark Smith, 41, stole £71.50 worth of chocolate from Co-op in Waterhouse Way, Hampton Gardens, on 7 January, and £346.70 worth of items from Tesco in Napier Place, Orton Wistow, on 12 February and 16 February.

This was in breach of a two-year criminal behaviour order (CBO), which prevents him from entering any Tesco, Spar, or Co-op in Peterborough.

He was arrested at a house in Hinchcliffe, Orton Goldhay, on Friday (21 February).

Smith, of London Road, Peterborough, appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court the following day, where he was jailed for 42 weeks, including the activation of a suspended sentence, after admitting three counts of theft from a shop and three breaches of a CBO.

He was also ordered to pay compensation to Tesco and the Co-op.

PC Chloe Gwilliam, who investigated, said: “Since being made subject of the CBO in February last year, Smith has been convicted of seven CBO breaches, each resulting in time in prison.

“We will continue to take advantage of the greater powers that come with CBOs and make arrests where necessary.”

Smith’s CBO also forbids him from entering the Ortongate shopping centre, as bordered by Misterton and the busway footpath to rear of the centre.

Anyone with information about Smith 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.