Rachel Clark, a 34-year-old resident of Norwich, has been made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) after being arrested for a series of thefts from multiple Co-Op store branches. She has a lengthy criminal record with 23 previous convictions encompassing 98 offences, 71 of which are theft-related. According to the Eastern Daily Press, Clark appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court in custody and pleaded guilty to charges of theft and breaching the order on March 17.

The court heard that she was able to steal various items by concealing them in a bag and exiting the store without paying. Co-Op staff were involved in her identification during these incidents. As a result of her previous offences, which included a spree alongside co-defendant Joe Brown at the Hall Road Co-Op, she was sentenced to an 18-month community order last November. This included a 12-week curfew and 30 days of rehabilitation, alongside the imposition of the CBO preventing her from entering any Co-Op stores. Magistrates have ordered a report to be prepared ahead of her sentencing, which is scheduled for April 23.

In a separate, significant case reported by MyLondon, two shoplifters, Garvey Powell and Carmen Sinclair, have also pleaded guilty following a series of thefts that led to significant financial losses for Tesco. The pair was implicated in more than 30 thefts, primarily stealing wine, and documents revealed they would pilfer large quantities several times in a single day from stores, including the Tesco on Old Street.

After sifting through 33 hours of CCTV footage, police detectives amassed enough evidence to charge the shoplifters. Garvey Powell admitted to 19 counts of theft and breaches of court bail and received a nine-month prison sentence alongside a five-year CBO, which stipulates that he is prohibited from carrying a rucksack in the Borough of Hackney. Carmen Sinclair pleaded guilty to 12 counts of theft and is scheduled for sentencing in late April.

Sergeant Adam Hunter from the Met’s Neighbourhood Policing Team commented on the broader impact of shoplifting, stating, “We know shoplifting has a huge impact on businesses and also fuels other crime and anti-social behaviour.” He emphasised the police’s commitment to tackling this issue, citing the costly implications such crimes have on businesses like Tesco, which incurred both stock losses and the expenses of enhanced security measures.

In response to the court proceedings, Tesco expressed gratitude towards the police and their security team for their collaborative efforts in bringing the offenders to justice and reiterated their commitment to ensuring a safe environment for both employees and customers in their stores.

Source: Noah Wire Services