Boots shoplifter jailed for £107,000 crime spree

A hooded thief who ransacked the shelves of Boots in a £107,000 crime spree has been jailed for a year.

Liam Hutchinson, 32, raided branches of the high street chemist in Chelsea and Kensington
between May and August this year.

Hutchinson went on 99 shoplifting expeditions at the store brazenly stuffing pricey electrical items and razors into his rucksack.

CCTV shows Hutchinson, with his hood up, brazenly pinching goods in front of shocked workers and casually strolling out.

Hutchinson was found after retail staff alerted police using the CCTV footage.

The thief, of no fixed address, was jailed for 12 months at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

He has now been banned from every UK Boots store for ten years, and from entering the borough of Kensington and Chelsea for five years.

Sergeant Jack Vine, who led the investigation, said: ‘Hutchinson has been targeting Boots stores across Chelsea and Kensington, costing the business a total of £107,000 in lost revenue.

‘We recognised the impact Hutchinson’s actions were having on the retailer, and through working with staff, we built a strong case of evidence against him, which has been reflected in his sentencing.

‘This result should act as a warning that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated, and that we will come down hard on those who show a complete disregard for the law, terrorise retail workers and cost businesses thousands of pounds.’

Nicky Harrop, Head of Security, Fraud and Contract Management at Boots, said: ‘We have been investing significantly in measures that will deter and disrupt criminal activity, stop theft, protect our team members, and support the police with high-quality evidence.

‘Tackling the growing levels of retail crime is a collaborative effort, so we’re pleased to work alongside the Metropolitan Police to ensure our stores remain a safe and respectful environment for our team members and customers.’

Chief Inspector Rav Pathania, from the Met, said: ‘The Met is coming down hard on shoplifters by putting more officers in local teams, increasing patrols and conducting intelligence-led, targeted operations to go after the most prolific offenders.

‘Shoplifting is an injustice in our communities and causes fear and loss to retail workers and businesses, and we are more determined than ever to ensure we are gathering more evidence of multiple offences to get more convictions and stronger sentences for those responsible.

‘This is another shining example of great work by Met officers to achieve this, and through their efforts, we’ve been able to remove another prolific shoplifter from our streets, utilising the power of Community Behaviour Orders to prevent him causing further misery in the local community.

‘Town centres and hotspot areas across London continue to see an enhanced police presence as part of the Home Office’s Safer Summer Streets campaign running until the end of September, with a focus on reducing criminality and anti-social behaviour.

‘This intensified action is part of ongoing work by the Met and Mayor of London to boost local neighbourhood teams, enhance partnership working and put high-visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding trust.’