Christmas in prison for prolific Peterborough shoplifter

A shoplifter who was caught stealing from a Peterborough shop two days in a row will spend Christmas behind bars.

James Jardine, 33, was handed a suspended jail sentence days before he was caught in the city centre.

Now he will spend Christmas in jail after being caught again.

Peterborough Magistrates’ Court heard how Jardine was arrested at B&M, in Bridge Street, Peterborough city centre, on 11 November, after police were called by security.

The day before, Jardine had walked into the shop, filled up a basket with numerous toiletries, and walked out without paying.

On November 11, Jardine went back to the same store and moved a box of Ariel washing pods to behind a bottle of alcohol in a different aisle. Later, he returned and put the washing detergent in his rucksack before walking out without paying.

Security had captured Jardine on their CCTV cameras and called police.

Jardine’s arrest triggered a previous 20-week suspended sentence, which he received on 7 November for six counts of theft from a shop.

Jardine, of Charnwood Close, Peterborough, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (16 November) where his suspended sentence was activated, and he was given a further four weeks, to run concurrently, after pleading guilty to the two B&M thefts – meaning a total of 24 weeks.

PC Harvey, who investigated, said: “Jardine was given a second chance when he was handed a suspended sentence just days before these offences. However, he showed a complete disregard for the law and will now be spending Christmas in prison.”