A prolific shoplifter has been banned from every Tesco store in Derby after a police mugshot revealed his striking resemblance to singer Ed Sheeran. Bailey Esmonde, 22, was issued a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) following a string of thefts, but it was his custody photo that caught the public's attention.
Derbyshire Police's social media post featuring Esmonde's image garnered over 2,500 comments, with many users comparing him to the pop star. One comment read: 'When your legs don’t work cause you’re barred from the store,' while another called him 'a Temu version of Ed Sheeran'. Others joked: 'He stole a fiddle from an Irish bar?' and 'This is clearly ED HeRan.'
The CBO, effective until May 13, 2029, prohibits Esmonde from entering any Tesco in Derby and requires him to leave any retail premises when asked by staff or authorities. The order was extended after he stole two cans of cider from a Tesco Express on March 30 and was later found in possession of cocaine on April 1.
Esmonde, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to shop theft and possession of crack cocaine at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on April 2. He received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay compensation for the stolen alcohol.
This is not his first offence; in 2024, he was banned from a single Tesco store after stealing a can of Monster energy drink, sandwiches, crisps, and chicken bites. Following his latest crimes, police successfully applied to extend the ban to all Tesco shops in Derby, with the order granted on May 14.
