Shoplifter who stole champagne as he targeted Peterborough Co-op four times in a month jailed

A shoplifter who stole from a Werrington shop four times in less than three weeks has been jailed.

On 11 January, Dane O’Callaghan, 35, entered Co-Op, Loxley Centre, Werrington, and concealed four bottles of champagne worth a total of £80 in his coat before leaving without attempting to pay.

O’Callaghan, of no fixed address, returned to the shop three times between 17 and 28 January, taking £120 worth of items, namely meat and confectionary, without attempting to pay. When he was confronted by a staff member on one occasion, he verbally threatened them whilst reaching into his pocket, intimidating the individual and causing them to back away.

In the early hours of Saturday morning (3 February), officers on patrol spotted him in Lincoln Road, Millfield, and, knowing he was wanted for the Werrington offences, arrested him.

Whilst in custody, he was further arrested for common assault, theft of two dog leads and a harness worth £99 from Gladwells Pet & Country Stores in Millfield on 11 January, theft of a £24 drone from The Entertainer in Bridge Street on 24 January, and theft of two bicycles from a shed in Eastfield Road on 22 January.

O’Callaghan appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday (5 February), where he was sentenced to 26-weeks in prison after admitting all offences.

He has also been ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the owner of the bicycles, £24 in compensation to The Entertainer, £99 to Gladwells Pet & Country Stores, and £200 to the Co-Op.

PC Kyle Carter-Lawrence, who investigated, said: “O’Callaghan knew what he was doing when he entered these shops, even taking measures to intimidate staff members in order to get away with the offences.

“I would like to thank the businesses for consistently reporting incidents of shoplifting to us, which helps us to identify the individuals and put them through the courts.”

Following convictions for shoplifting offences in December last year, O’Callaghan was made subject of a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which states he must not enter Brotherhood Retail Park, Peterborough.

Anyone with information about O’Callaghan breaching the CBO should contact police via the web chat service or online forms at www.cambs.police.uk/report. Those without internet access should call 101.