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A Colchester man has been jailed for two years and 16 weeks after admitting a string of shop thefts and ignoring a banning order.
Scott Butcher, 37, of Devon Road, was sentenced to a total of 120 weeks’ imprisonment for 26 shop thefts and five breaches of a criminal behaviour order banning him from entering all Essex Co-op stores.
Investigating officer Sergeant Will Booth, of Colchester Local Policing Team, says Butcher was arrested in April 2024 after his last shop theft was reported to police.
He says:
“Butcher is a prolific offender who repeatedly targeted several stores in the city. I hope the court sentence has given staff in those stores reassurance that we have taken positive action against him.
“It was a team effort. Officers searched the area looking for Butcher and one of them was quick to spot him and arrest him.
“We ask retailers to report all shop thefts and related anti-social behaviour to us and provide as much evidence as you can to assist our investigations.
“We also use the information you provide to identify emerging trends and target our operational activity.”
Butcher was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on 3 October 2024 after being convicted of 20 thefts from four East of England Co-op stores across Colchester between 27 March and 25 April 2024. The total value of alcohol, meat, fish, cheese, chocolate, cakes, energy drinks and laundry detergent stolen is £1,566.88.
He had also been convicted of breaching a three-year criminal behaviour order five times. It forbade him from entering any Co-op store in Essex and had been imposed by Colchester magistrates in September 2023.
A previous suspended jail term imposed for four previous shop thefts was activated while a six-month community order imposed for two more shop thefts was revoked and jail terms imposed.
Butcher was also ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge. The criminal behaviour order will continue.
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