A man went on a shoplifting spree at stores around the country, stealing more than £13,000 in goods before being caught in Scunthorpe.
He had travelled from his home in Rochdale to steal from stores in Wales, the North West and North East of England, Grimsby Crown Court heard.
Martin Collins 28, of Lever Road, Rochdale, admitted 22 offences of shop theft from Morrisons and other stores in October until he was finally stopped in Scunthorpe last month.
Prosecuting, Harry Bradford said the total amount taken from Morrisons stores amounted to £12,230 in one month and was more than £13,000 to include thefts from other stores, including Asda and Tesco.
He said the haul ranged from £160 to £1,485. Sometimes he visited three stores in one day to steal, told Mr Bradford.
On November 8, PC Harrison of Humberside Police was in Morrisons Lakeside store in Scunthorpe when he spotted a security guard going towards a suspected shoplifter. The security guard asked for the police officer’s assistance.
Collins was later detained and found to have £830 of goods which had not been paid for.
The items were concealed in a homemade Bag-for-Life which was designed to avoid detection from security devices. Mr Bradford said the defendant claimed he was going to press charges against the security guard for his actions.
Police later found a car in the store car park which was laden with toiletries and nicotine products. The car was suspected to have false number plates.
Mr Bradford said Morrisons security staff had collated information about the wide ranging thefts from stores throughout the north of England. There were 19 offences of high-value goods being stolen. A total of £5,231 was stolen and £6,999 worth had been recovered.
Nine separate police forces had gathered information about the thefts in Wales, North Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. In one day Collins had stolen from Morrisons stores in Denby, Bangor and Caernarfon in Wales and on another day from Telford and Shrewsbury.
On October 19, a total of £465 was stolen from Asda in Scunthorpe. The prosecutor said Collins had six previous convictions, five of which were for similar shoplifting offences.
Judge John Thackray KC said there had been significant degree of planning by the use of specially-designed bag, a disguise of a cap and travelling from county to county to steal from stores.
For Collins, Craig Lowe said his client was relatively-lightly convicted. He added he had three children to whom he provided childcare as his wife worked. He said his client had built up a debt through drugs and alcohol.
Judge Thackray KC said: “It is difficult to think of a more clear cut case of significant planning. This was sophisticated, professional planning of all these offences, using a motor vehicle on false plates, a specially-designed box to avoid detecting and there was attempt at disguise by wearing a cap. It was determined and sophisticated shop theft of large amounts.
“It is increasingly concerning to members of the public and staff in stores who feel powerless to intervene. Offences such as these increase costs to everyone at a time of a cost of living crisis.”
He said £1,000 hauls were taken in Rhyl and in Hyde and Thornton Cleveleys. He jailed Collins for a total of 40 months.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
