Portsmouth man sentenced to six months in prison following shoplifting at Co-Op stores where he stole nearly £2,000 worth of goods

On Thursday, November 23, Simon Collins of St Michaels Road was sentenced at Portsmouth Magistrates Court after he admitted 28 different shoplifting offences.

Between September 5 and October 24, Collins stole food from ten different Co-Op stores in Portsmouth, including those on Great Southsea Street, Twyford Avenue, and Fawcett Road.

In total Collins stole £1,925 of stock for which he was jailed for a total of six months.

Targeting shoplifters is a priority for the district, and the police will continue to pursue those that are violent to staff or are repeat offenders. There is a city centre team dedicated to catching these offenders and they are working with businesses including the Co-Op across the city to target shoplifters.

Chief Inspector Paul Markham said: “The city centre team and the wider Portsmouth District Policing Teams will continue to work hard to make Portsmouth a safer place for residents, visitors and businesses. Please continue to report shoplifting incidents to us, as they help us build a stronger case against prolific offenders.

“Business owners and shop staff should not have to come to work and face criminal behaviour. We’ve worked closely with the local Co-Op stores on this case to secure CCTV and statements that have assisted in securing this result at court.

“We hope that this sends a clear message to any shoplifters out there: continue to steal and you will end up in court.”