A prolific shoplifter who repeatedly helped himself to bottles of alcoholic spirits from supermarket shelves has been jailed.
Police were alerted that Richard Brown, who was wanted for a series of shop thefts, had been spotted in the area near Central Avenue in West Bridgford.
Officers searched the vicinity and swiftly arrested Brown, who was hiding behind a display in Specsavers on August 22.
Brown repeatedly targeted supermarkets and shops in West Bridgford, Chilwell, Nottingham city centre, and Lenton between May and August.
On July 14, he stole from the Sainsbury’s petrol station on Castle Bridge Road four times on the same day, taking alcohol, ice cream, and confectionery worth £40.
Four days later, he entered M&S Foodhall on Albert Road in West Bridgford and helped himself to four bottles of cognac and two bottles of rum worth £176 before leaving without paying.
In total, Brown stole items worth £1,535, including bottles of alcoholic spirits, clothes, meat, and other food, from Greggs, JD Sport, Co-op, Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s, and Marks and Spencer.
He also breached a criminal behaviour order, which banned him from certain supermarkets, when he entered the Co-op on Bramcote Lane in Chilwell on July 22.
A thorough investigation by Nottinghamshire Police’s Rushcliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team, involving CCTV analysis, identified Brown as the thief, and he was charged with 21 offences.
Brown, aged 46, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of theft from a shop and one count of breaching a criminal behaviour order when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on September 22.
He was jailed for 14 months and was ordered to pay a surcharge of £187.
The sentencing is the latest following a series of arrests as Rushcliffe neighbourhood officers continue to crack down on prolific shoplifters.
Steven McKinlay repeatedly targeted the Co-op in Wilford and Tesco Express at Compton Acres Shopping Precinct during a shoplifting spree between May and July.
The 30-year-old was charged with 23 counts of theft from a shop after stealing meat, confectionery, laundry, and other household products, worth a total of £2,224.
He was also charged with breaching a criminal behaviour order after entering the Co-op store, which he was banned from, and possession of a Class B drug, namely Mamba.
McKinlay, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to all 25 offences when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on July 8.
He was jailed for six months and was also ordered to pay £200 in compensation.
Darren Smallwood repeatedly breached his criminal behaviour order by stealing from and entering the Co-op on Bridgford Road in West Bridgford between June and July.
The 38-year-old was charged with four counts of theft from a shop and three counts of breaching his criminal behaviour order after stealing alcohol, household, and laundry products worth £228 from Marks and Spencer and the Co-op.
Smallwood, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to all seven offences when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on July 9 and was jailed for 11 months.
Inspector Tim Cuthbert, Nottinghamshire Police’s district commander for Rushcliffe, said: “We take reports of retail crime and shoplifting very seriously and work closely with businesses to identify and arrest prolific offenders.
“Brown’s behaviour and the distress caused to shop staff by repeatedly targeting the same businesses is completely unacceptable.
“Retail crime and shoplifting are a priority in Rushcliffe, and we remain committed to protecting businesses and ensuring offenders who cause the most harm are held accountable before the courts.
“Criminal behaviour orders have real teeth and are a useful tool to help us tackle the most persistent shoplifters.
“They have the power to ban offenders from entering specific shops, which often results in a custodial prison sentence if they are breached.
“We hope businesses are offered some respite by this prison sentence, and we will continue to locate, arrest, and crack down on nuisance shoplifters.”
