A shoplifter with a sweet tooth who pinched nearly 800 Cadbury Creme Eggs has been jailed for eight months.
Layton Richards stole £3,400 worth of goods from 19 different stores across Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex.
The 29-year-old was charged with 24 shoplifting offences between January and April this year – which included 798 of the 75p ‘How do you eat yours?’ treats.
Police said 21 of these offences took place in Hampshire (seven in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth), two in the Dorset town of Bournemouth and one in West Sussex.
The ‘prolific’ offender, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court, where he was jailed for eight months.
Police said this is a result of a crackdown on ‘persistent, and often intimidating’ criminals who repeatedly target shops.
Police said 21 of these offences took place in Hampshire (seven in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth), two in the Dorset town of Bournemouth and one in West Sussex
A shoplifter with a sweet tooth who pinched nearly 800 Cadbury Creme Eggs has been jailed
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s retail crime lead, Chief Inspector Marcus Cator, said: ‘This sentence is just one result of an ongoing and dedicated focus on targeting our most prolific offenders as effectively as possible.
‘We have been working in strong partnership with retailers regarding offenders who repeatedly target stores and victims with their persistent, and often intimidating, criminality.
‘As a result of this collaboration with retail partners, we have been able to ensure that we are sharing information and evidence more effectively, resulting in stronger cases being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service.
‘We want to continue sending the message to repeat offenders that their behaviour, and the impact it has on its victims, is not acceptable, while also receiving any support they require to help steer them away from shoplifting.
‘It is important that we continue to focus on retail crime, protecting victims and ensuring that offenders are held to account for their criminality.’
Southern Co-op Loss Prevention & Security Manager Gareth J Lewis said: ‘This outcome is yet another positive example of our ongoing collaborative work with Hampshire Police.
‘The only way for the business community to tackle the evidenced increase in retail crime and the issues that drive the individuals offending, is to work together and to provide the police (and other agencies), with the information and evidence required.’
