A Newark shoplifter has been locked up after being linked to a string of thefts across the town.
Benjamin Young marched into stores on 15 separate occasions and took whatever he could get his hands on.
Steaks, chocolates, perfume, alcohol, laundry products and sandwiches were among the items stolen from the shelves.
Eight stores across Newark were targeted by Young during his theft spree, from the start of last September to the end of January.
After reviewing the CCTV from each of the shops, neighbourhood officers were able to highlight 46-year-old Young, of no fixed address, as the person responsible.
The evidence gathered meant he had no choice but to plead guilty to the 15 counts of shop theft he was charged with when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 6 February.
Young, who was already subject to a suspended sentence that he activated with his latest offending, was subsequently jailed for 18 weeks during that same court appearance.
He was also issued with a community protection warning with strict conditions to stay away from an address in North Gate, Newark, after being identified as causing antisocial behaviour issues in the area.
Sergeant Jack Walker, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Newark neighbourhood policing team, said:
“The officers involved in this case did a great job reviewing the CCTV available to pinpoint Benjamin Young as being the person responsible for these thefts.
“By gathering all the evidence they did, he was left with no option but to admit in court that he had in fact targeted each of these stores – with a custodial sentence following as a result.
“After receiving reports he’d been affecting the lives of residents with his antisocial behaviour, it was also pleasing to secure a community protection warning against him that will help when he is released.
“Shoplifting and ASB can both have a really negative impact on how people feel about where they live, so results like this are important in showing that this type of behaviour won’t be tolerated and will lead to consequences.”
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