Shoplifter jailed for stealing Snickers, Mars and Aero bars worth £500 from Spar
A prolific thief with a sweet tooth has been jailed for stealing chocolate bars worth almost £500.
Luke Bowyer, 35, stole 143 bars in one day from a Spar shop in Peterborough in two separate shoplifting raids.
He took 57 Snickers and 28 Cadbury orange Dairy Milk bars in his first visit to the Spar in the Herlington Centre in Orton Malborne on 18 October, then returned later the same day to take 48 Mars bars and 10 orange Aeros.
His total haul that day was worth £221.
He returned to the same shop three days later and stole Cadbury bars and coffee worth £205.34 before returning again the same day to steal coffee valued at £126.34.
He also stole cheese from a Co-op before returning to the Spar in Orton Malborne on 29 October to take 20 mint Aeros and 20 orange Aeros.
Bowyer was arrested by a neighbourhood policing officer on a bicycle who spotted the thief cycling towards him in Orton Goldhay on 13 November and gave chase, knowing he was wanted for shoplifting offences.
The suspect dumped his bike and tried to escape on foot but was arrested.
Bowyer, of Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court the next day where he was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison.
Part of this sentence included activation of a previously suspended eight-week sentence for similar offences.
He must also pay £426.53 in compensation to Spar and £65 to Co-op.
PC Sian Makin, who investigated, said: “Bowyer is a prolific offender who has 14 convictions for 42 separate offences against his name, many of which are related to theft.
“As a result of this, we have put an application in to the courts for a hearing to take place where we hope we will be able to secure a criminal behaviour order (CBO) against Bowyer which will help manage his offending once he is released from prison.”
A CBO hearing is due to be held later this month.
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