A burglar has been jailed after feigning interest in booking his own funeral before stealing from staff at undertakers.
Calvin Henry entered the funeral care business in Sherwood, Nottingham, saying he wanted to make arrangements for after his death.
While a member of staff left the room to make him an appointment, Henry swiped a bag belonging to her from behind the counter.
The woman later discovered several transactions had been made using a bank card inside the bag.
Henry, aged 58, was caught on CCTV cameras using the stolen card, and further footage analysed by officers also identified him as the offender in two other burglaries at shops.
On 4 January he went into a bakery shop in Lister Gate, Nottingham, entered the staff-only area and took a backpack, coat and bank cards.
He went from there to a supermarket in Wheeler Gate where he used the bank card to fraudulently pay for four bottles of whisky.
Later the same day, Henry swiped a handful of cash from the till at a Carlton Road food shop and fled.
Henry, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 16 months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Monday (5 February).
He had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary and three counts of fraud by false representation.
Sergeant Louise Ellis, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Henry used distraction techniques to get into staff only areas of a number of stores in order to steal whatever he could get his hands on.
“Hard-working shop staff should be able to do their jobs without having to worry about people stealing from them and violating their privacy like this.
“We were able to quickly track down Henry, arrest and charge him so I hope the victims are comforted by the robust police response.”
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