Police were in the right place at the right time to bring a persistent shop thief’s crime spree to an end.
Persistent thief Aiden Henderson was spotted, chased down, and arrested after cracking work by the Gedling North neighbourhood policing team.
The 37-year-old had targeted the same store – a Co-op in Calverton – 12 times in ten days and stole hundreds of pounds worth of items.
Meat, cheese, coffee, and prosecco were all stolen by Henderson, between 29 April and 8 May, who took them from the shelves, concealed the items, and left the store without making any attempt to pay.
His crime spree came to an end when he was detained by police after a foot chase on 8 May and he was subsequently charged with 12 counts of theft.
Henderson, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the offences and was jailed for six months when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Thursday 9 May.
Gedling North neighbourhood policing sergeant Alison Riley said: “This is a great result for the team as Henderson has been blight on local retailers and small businesses in the Gedling North area, specifically in Calverton, committing a high number of shop thefts and often in a short space of time.
“The idea that shoplifting is a victimless crime couldn’t be further from the truth. Henderson’s offending had a huge impact on the store he targeted relentlessly, impacting their shop workers and the customers they serve.
“People should be able to work and shop free of crime or the fear of crime. They should not have to fear for their safety.
“We will not tolerate the behaviour of those who make our communities feel unsafe.
“I want to reassure our local retailers and members of the public that we will continue to crack down on retail crime and do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
• Health food store shoplifter who stole £5,000 of stock in one day jailed
