Honey thief was ‘mis-beehiving’
A thief who swiped hundreds of pounds worth of high-grade Australian honey from the Royal Family’s pharmacists was ‘mis-beehiving,’ a court was told.
Francis O’Connor, 34, slipped four jars of rare Manuka honey into his jacket in John Bell and Croyden on Wigmore Street, Marylebone, west London.
The renowned health and beauty emporium first opened in 1798, has held the Royal warrant since 1909, and has served as a pharmacy for the Queen for nearly 60 years.
Security guards spotted O’Connor squatting suspiciously in the vitamins department before he sprinted out of the store with £204.96 worth of aromatic bee produce on 25 May.
‘He was mis-beehiving,’ said prosecutor Edward Aydin.
‘He went to that store and he is seen in that store glancing at the items there crouching down and he selected high-value supplements there as well as the Manuka honey.’
O’Connor was quickly chased down and held by security guard Idris Ogunnusi as he struggled to maintain his balance and spilled supplements out of his jacket.
‘He was chased out holding this honey in his jacket, he ran out,’ said Mr Aydin.
‘Some of the products fell out and he asked the security guard to stop chasing him so he could take the products back.’
O’Connor was arrested at the scene and held at Islington Police Station overnight before he pleaded guilty to one count of theft yesterday (Thurs).
The court heard that he may have sought out the anti-bacterial honey to treat his lung condition.
Mr Aydin said: ‘He shouted that he had an asthmatic condition, so I’m not sure if he was stealing the Manuka honey for his asthma because it definitely has some great healing properties in it.’
District Judge Nina Tempia had a different theory, noting: ‘It’s good honey and you can sell it on.
‘He’s a drug addict, he tested positive for cocaine and opiates.’
She fined O’Connor £100 and warned: ‘You have got to do something about your alcohol and your opiate and cocaine problem.’
O’Connor, of (87) Vauxhall Bridge Road, in Victoria, central London, was also ordered to pay £80 prosecution costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
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