A prolific Gateshead shoplifter who was banned from entering certain shops has been jailed for breaching the orders. Adam Sweet targeted a number of stores in the town, including Morrisons Allerdene, Co-op on Beacon Lough Road and Spar in Wrekenton.
Arrest and charges
He was arrested on Friday, July 10 and later charged with 38 theft shoplifting offences, 27 breaches of restraining orders and one public order offence. The 21-year-old, of Chaucer Road, Gateshead, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 10, where he pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Criminal behaviour order imposed
Sweet was also handed a criminal behaviour order (CBO), banning him from entering the three stores he had previously targeted, for three years.
Sergeant Andrew Hyde of Gateshead East Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “This is a fantastic result for our teams.
“I’d also like to express my thanks to the businesses and members of the public who provided information about the reports so that we could progress our investigation. Shoplifting isn’t a victimless crime — it causes real financial pressure for local businesses and creates distress for the staff who have to deal with repeated incidents.
“Sweet is a prolific shoplifter and showed a clear pattern of offending by breaching his restraining order. We are pleased that the courts have recognised the impact this had on our communities and chosen to hand him a custodial sentence, as well as impose a CBO.”
How to report shoplifting
Anyone with information on suspected shoplifting incidents can send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media, or use the live chat function and report forms on the force website. For those unable to contact police via those ways, call 101.
