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 in prison for 26 shop thefts and five breaches of a criminal behaviour order banning him from entering all Essex Co-op stores.

Sgt Will Booth, of the Colchester local policing team, said Butcher was arrested in April 2024 after his last shop theft was reported to police.

He said: “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 after being convicted of 20 thefts from four East of England Co-op stores across Colchester between March 27 and April 25 this year.

The total value of alcohol, meat, fish, cheese, chocolate, cakes, energy drinks and laundry detergent stolen was £1,566.

He had also been convicted of breaching a three-year criminal behaviour order five times. It banned him from entering any Co-op store in Essex and was 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imposed for four previous shop thefts was activated while a six-month community order imposed for two more shop thefts was revoked and jail terms imposed.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.

If you have information about a crime, anti-social behaviour or criminal activity, you can report it online where you can also speak to an online Live Chat operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alternatively, you can ring 101.

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, online or by calling 0800 555 111.