Prolific Sleaford shoplifter sent to prison
A prolific Sleaford shoplifter has been sent to prison for 28 weeks.
Nathan Stevenson, 32, of no fixed address, has been jailed for 28 weeks after pleading guilty on Tuesday, March 24 to five counts of theft from shops and five counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), according to Lincolnshire Police.
The ten offences all happened in Sleaford between March 12-18 this year, say police.
"Stevenson stole household goods to a value of just over £634 from three different stores. He has a CBO with conditions not to enter any retail premises within Sleaford apart from one shop and a medical practice."
In an example of his persistent offending, Stevenson, having appeared in magistrates’ court in Lincoln on March 12 for similar offences, stepped off the train in Sleaford and went to the Co-op where he stole £102.25 worth of goods, said police.
A force spokesperson added: “Over the next few days, he persisted in stealing goods from, Sainsbury’s, the Spar and Boyes stores in the town. The Neighbourhood Policing Team recorded witness statements, secured CCTV footage and collected the evidence required to prove his offending.”
Police published an appeal for help to locate Stevenson on March 20 and he was arrested three days later for the ten offences and subsequently charged.
He was put in front of the next available magistrates court where he admitted the latest 10 charges, namely: March 12 – theft from Co-op, Sleaford - goods value £102.25; March 17 – theft from Sainsburys, Sleaford - goods value £39; March 18 – theft from Boyes, Sleaford - goods value £98.98, March 18 – theft from Spar store, Sleaford - goods £225.25; theft from Spar, Sleaford - goods £169.01. His five CBO breaches were on entering each of the stores.
As well as the 28-week prison sentence Stevenson must pay a surcharge of £154, say police. His CBO remains in place with conditions not to enter any retail premises within Sleaford, with the exception of the Spar at Hockmeyers Garage, Holdingham and a named medical practice; it runs until March 23, 2028.
PC Sarah Kennedy, Sleaford Town Community Beat Manager, commented later: “He has been a walking crime spree and the blight of many stores in the town. He has blatantly ignored his Community Behaviour Order and continued to reoffend.
“As a Neighbourhood Team we will continue to work with our communities to target people who cause harm within Sleaford.”