A prolific shoplifter has been jailed just days after he went on a £1,000 crime spree in Worthing, police said.
Linton Woolley, 35, of no fixed address, was put behind bars after first being charged with 28 counts of shoplifting for offences between 13 October and 5 December.
Woolley appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 11 December, where he pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment.
He was also ordered to pay £154.
Each time he committed a theft, he was identified by staff who reported it to police.
Officers told the media that the convictions were made as a result of the teamwork between the Adur & Worthing Neighbourhood Policing Team, the Business Crime team, the Worthing Response Investigation Team, and retail staff.
The stores which were targeted by Woolley included
- Co-op in Test Road, Sompting;
- Co-op in Plaza Parade,
- Co-op in South Street, Lancing;
- Tesco Express, Goring Road;
- Co-op, Salvington Road;
- Co-op, Field Place Parade;
- One Stop, North Lane;
- Tesco, Littlehampton Road in Worthing;
- Co-op, Nelson Road in Durrington; and
- One Stop, North Lane in East Preston.
Woolley stole a variety of products, including meat, cheese, dishwasher tablets, baby milk and wine.
PC Jamie Sanderson, of the Adur, Worthing and Horsham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
"Woolley is well known for his previous history of shoplifting in the area.
"Our relentless pursuit of our most prolific offenders has resulted in yet another one receiving a custodial sentence, offering some respite for our business community who have suffered loss at the hands of persistent offenders.
"Many of these are now behind bars, which has reduced offending during the festive period when the retail world would usually see a spike in acquisitive crime."
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