Officers in Mansfield have continued a crackdown on shoplifting by securing a restrictive court order against another prolific offender.
Simon Ward, aged 51, is a well-known offender in and around the town centre and has dozens of convictions to his name.
He is currently serving another six week prison sentence for stealing a mobile phone from Mansfield Magistrates’ Court and for failing to comply with an existing court order.
Ward, of Layton Burroughs, has now been made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order which will ban him from multiple businesses in Mansfield.
B&M Bargains
Marks and Spencer
TK Maxx
Boots
Heron Foods
New Look
Asda in Bancroft Lane
Ward is also forbidden from causing nuisance, alarm or distress to anyone in the district of Mansfield.
The order, granted at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on 24 September, will last for three years.
Any breaches will be treated as a criminal offence and could lead to an immediate return to prison.
The order is the twelfth of its kind currently active in Mansfield.
The orders, granted only after meticulous evidence building process by local officers, can prevent known offenders from being in certain areas and from doing certain things.
PCSO Victoria Swann said:
“Ward is one of a handful of prolific local offenders causing disproportionate harm to the wider town.
“For a long time now, we have been playing a kind of cat and mouse game with him – where he commits offences and we go through the process of putting him before the courts.
“Now this CBO has been granted, we have much greater power over him and his behaviour, which will make our lives – and more importantly the lives of local retail staff – a lot easier“
Inspector Katie Eustace, district commander for Mansfield, said:
“It takes a lot of work to secure these orders form the courts, so I am grateful to Vicky for all the work she has done on this.
“This order, and the other 11 we currently have in place, are vital tools that we are now using more and more to protect our town from those who feel they can steal what they like with impunity.
“As they may very quickly find out, these orders have teeth and the courts come down very hard on people who ignore them.”