Prolific offender jailed for retail crimes in Dorset
29-year-old Jason Christopher Evans also assaulted two police officers who tried to arrest him
A man has been jailed after committing a series of retail offences in Bournemouth.
Jason Christopher Evans, aged 29 and of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday (17 October) to three years in prison for 12 theft offences, two burglaries and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker as well as breaching a suspended sentence order. A number of the charges related to thefts committed against businesses between November 2021 and April 2022. Businesses targeted by the prolific offender included Superdrug, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Spar and Wilko in the Boscombe area.
Following investigation work, Evans was circulated as wanted and when officers went to arrest him in Boscombe on Wednesday 9 March 2022, he resisted and assaulted two of them. He punched one to the face, causing a cut to their nose, and also struck another officer but did not cause any injury.
The burglary charge related to the theft of bicycles from a secure car park at an address in Bournemouth on Wednesday 17 November 2021.
During the week from Monday 17 October to Sunday 23 October 2022, Dorset Police has been supporting a national week of action to strengthen relationships between retail, security and the police in an effort to tackle business crime.
The initiative, co-ordinated by the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) aims to equip business owners and security staff with the tools to tackle business crime and raise awareness of the support available.
Superintendent Heather Dixey, of Dorset Police, said: “It is important that we support this week of action, however, it is important to stress we are also committed to working year-round to protect businesses in our local communities and take action against prolific offenders such as Jason Evans who regularly target their premises.
“We recognise the impact this kind of persistent offending has on members of our business community and Inspector Helen Deakin and Bournemouth East officers from the neighbourhood policing team worked hard to compile evidence to ensure Evans was held to account for his criminal behaviour.
“We will continue to work with retailers and other businesses locally to ensure we can respond robustly to offences of this nature.”