Prolific Doncaster shoplifter's chocolate box swipe earns him stint behind bars

Owen Stothard, aged 34, raided the shelves of a promotional aisle at a One Stop store in Balby on three separate occasions, grabbing hold of sweets and chocolate to the value of £51.

He was caught on CCTV on Friday 29 September entering the store and grabbing four boxes of chocolates worth £18. He then darted out of the shop having made no effort to pay for the chocolate.

Just two days later, Stothard was back at the same store committing a theft as he plundered four tubs of sweets worth £18 from the shelves.

His final theft happened a day later on Monday 2 October as Stothard entered the shop and bent down to grab three boxes of Quality Street worth £15 in total.

He then ran for the exit without paying for any of the items he had grabbed. Stothard, of Firbeck House, was charged with three counts of theft and appeared before Doncaster Magistrates' Court last Tuesday (17 October). He was jailed for 18 weeks.

Chief Inspector David Struggles, from the Doncaster district command team, said: "Stothard is a known shoplifter and thief who has been prolific in his offending.

"People might think this is just £50 worth of sweets and chocolate but his tactic was clearly to just walk into a store and grab whatever he could near the entrance before walking out without paying.

"Staff shouldn't have to deal with thieves like him and businesses shouldn't have to put up with his antics. We're glad a custodial sentence has been passed and we hope a spell behind bars gives him the chance to think about his behaviour and the errors of his ways."

Stothard is one of a number of Doncaster shoplifters to be jailed in recent weeks. Earlier this month, three prolific offenders were sent to prison for a total of 22-and-a-half months.

Chief Inspector Struggles added: "The team tackling retail crime have made some real strides this month and it's pleasing to see well-known shoplifters get given their just deserts for the crimes they have committed.

"It's very pleasing to see Stothard sentenced during last week’s National Safer Business Action Week which was brought in to combat retail and business crime.

"I want people to be assured that we won't be resting on our laurels and we are collating more and more intelligence on suspected shoplifters who we hope will be put before the courts in the near future."