Four prolific shoplifters charged in Bath
Three men, aged 45, 34 and 21, and a woman aged 24, will appear in court
Four prolific shoplifters in Bath have been charged after a week of action by Avon and Somerset Police.
A 34-year-old man of no fixed abode was charged with 18 theft offences between September and October. He admitted to the offences at Bath Magistrates’ Court and has since been remanded in custody, pending a hearing on 30 October.
A 21-year-old man of no fixed abode was charged with 16 offences, including six non-dwelling burglaries, two attempted burglaries and seven thefts from shops. These took place between July and September and included four instances of theft of tobacco products and vapes worth more than £2,000 in all. He was also charged with the theft of a bicycle worth £2,500. He’s been remanded in custody for sentencing on 7 November.
A 24-year-old woman of no fixed abode was charged with three thefts from a hair salon on three dates in September. She admitted to the offences at Bath Magistrates’ Court, resulting in a £40 fine. She was also ordered to pay £969.57 in compensation.
A 45-year-old man from Bath is due before Bath Magistrates’ Court on 30 October, charged with burglary after entering a staff-only area of a shop to steal tobacco and vapes worth £300.
Chief Inspector Rebecca Wells-Cole, Force Lead for Business Crime, said: “These crimes are often described as ‘low-level offending’, but their impact on both businesses and the wider community is huge."
“We take thefts from shops seriously and encourage store workers to report incidents. We do have to prioritise all calls based on the likelihood of someone coming to immediate harm, so any incident in which there has been violence and a suspect remains on the scene will be prioritised.
“Even when officers can’t attend, we’ll review lines of enquiry and are working to make it easier to report online. This includes uploading CCTV and the statements necessary to support our investigations in a timely way, with a focus on prolific offenders.”