Jailed for nicking sweets and chocolate

Owen Stothard raided the shelves of a promotional aisle at One Stop in Balby three times in four days.

He was caught on CCTV grabbing four boxes of chocolates worth £18 and darting out on Friday, September 29.

Two days later he returned and stole four tubs of sweets – also worth £18 in total – and on October 2 he grabbed three boxes of Quality Street worth £15.

Stothard, of Firbeck House, Doncaster, was jailed at the city’s magistrates’ court last Tuesday (17) for 18 weeks for three counts of theft.

Chief Insp 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.”

Doncaster police are aiming to crack down on retail and business crime, and Chief Insp Struggles added: “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.”