Harlow: Shoplifter excluded from town store for 18 months

A Harlow man has been electronically tagged and excluded from one of the town’s stores for 18 months.

Matthew Nardolilli, 38, of Tanys Dell, had previously admitted 21 thefts from the Co-op store in Old Harlow High Street between 18 December 2023 and 11 February 2024 and one charge of threatening to damage or destroy property.

On 19 April 2024, Basildon magistrates imposed an 18-month community order on Nardolilli. As well as the exclusion order with electronic monitoring from the Co-op store he targeted, he was ordered to pay £700 compensation and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Nardolilli was also made subject of a drug rehabilitation requirement for six months with Open Road and given a rehabilitation activity requirement for a maximum of 20 days.

The court heard how Nardolilli had stolen £2,849.15 of meat, wine, washing products from the store on 21 occasions and, on 24 January, threatened to smash the phone of a staff member who was filming him stealing.

Nardolilli was identified from CCTV footage of the thefts. He was arrested at his home by Harlow Local Policing Team officers on 13 February.

Investigating officer PC Hannah Wix said after the case:

“Nardolilli stole repeatedly from the store and threatened a member of staff attempting to film evidence.
“Shoplifting is not a harmless crime. It makes shopworkers and customers who experience it feel unsafe and, of course, it may also contribute to a general rise in prices at a time when everyone is feeling hard-pressed.
“I hope that the drug rehabilitation requirement imposed by the court has the desired effect of removing Nardolilli’s need to steal in the first place.
“We don’t tolerate shoplifters and encourage retailers to report shop theft any and associated abuse and anti-social behaviour to us.
“Then we can work together with our specialist Business Crime Team and local retailers to keep store staff and customers safe and to gather the evidence we need to secure charges.”

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