Coventry shoplifter jailed, after being caught red-handed in city shop
He'd only just been in court for a similar offence
Last updated 5th Jun 2024
A Coventry shoplifter is behind bars, after police caught him red-handed in the city.
Jordan McCallum was jailed on Friday, after officers spotted him entering Primark, filling a bag with items and leaving without paying.
He was then immediately arrested and the stolen items returned.
This was just minutes after the 37-year-old, of no fixed address, had been in court receiving a suspended sentence for the same offence.
As a result, McCallum's original suspended sentence of eight weeks for shoplifting has been activated, with an additional four weeks added on for this latest offence.
Chief Inspector, Dave Amos, said: "Shoplifting is a constant source of trouble for retailers in Coventry, and we're committed to taking strong action against persistent offenders.
"Our teams regularly engage with businesses across Coventry to build a picture of how shoplifters act and who the most prolific offenders are.
"This was an example of our city centre officers knowing the location, knowing the offender and acting on that local knowledge to prevent crime."
West Midlands Police says it fully-understands the impact and frustration of shoplifting on businesses of all sizes, it's a crime which can affect livelihoods.
As part of its more local policing model, the force says its teams across investigations, neighbourhood and response are now working closer together to prevent and tackle crimes which impact on communities.
Using local officer knowledge and working with store security, they say they are able to identify suspects and any emerging trends or hotspots more quickly.