Prolific shop thief jailed after ignoring court order in Crawley
He was found stealing items and repeatedly entering areas he was barred from
A prolific shop thief has been jailed for 18 weeks after committing multiple offences in Crawley, including breaching a court-imposed order just a day after it was issued.
Laurie Murphey, 34, of no fixed address, was previously issued a Community Order in September 2025 for shoplifting offences. However, the following day, he breached a Community Protection Notice banning him from entering Crawley town centre and committed further thefts.
According to police, Murphey entered several stores, including Peacocks in Queens Square and Sainsbury's on Crawley Avenue, throughout September and October. He was observed stealing items and repeatedly entering areas he was barred from.
Murphey was detained by officers from Crawley’s Neighbourhood Policing Team on 17th November and remanded to appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 18th November.
He admitted eight counts of shop theft, eight breaches of a Community Protection Notice, and one count of obstructing an officer in the execution of their duty.
H2 Police response
Crawley District Commander Chief Inspector Steve Turner said: “Our Neighbourhood Policing Team has worked closely alongside businesses in Crawley town centre to identify prolific offenders and ensure we gather evidence to pursue prosecutions against them.
“We understand the impact that shop theft has on retail workers and on the public, and we are determined to catch offenders.
“Murphey showed little regard for a court order which required him to stay out of Crawley town centre and the County Oak Retail Park. So we are pleased that Murphey was apprehended and is now serving a significant custodial sentence.
“We continue to encourage the public to report incidents to us and will continue to engage with businesses in Crawley to tackle shoplifting.”