In a brazen act of chocolate theft, a woman has been jailed for 41 weeks after stealing 320 Cadbury Creme eggs from a garden centre in Peterborough. Leah Harding, 37, committed the sweet heist on February 13 at the Barn Garden Centre in Cambridgeshire, making off with 64 boxes of the popular Easter treat.
CCTV Footage Captures the Crime
CCTV footage from the scene shows Harding walking slowly out of the store with a large pink and blue bag filled with the stolen eggs, accompanied by a male companion. In a particularly audacious moment, she even appears to tuck into one of the eggs while still clutching the stolen goods in her other hand.
A Spree of Shoplifting Incidents
The chocolate theft was just one part of Harding's crime spree. On the same day, she visited Dobbies Garden Centre in Hampton, where she stole bottles of spirits worth £300. Following these incidents, she went on to steal alcohol and cheese on three separate occasions from the Co-op in Eye.
Harding, who has no known address, was eventually arrested on March 18. Her criminal activities came to an end when she appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on March 27, where she admitted to five counts of theft from a shop.
Court Sentencing and Compensation
The court handed down a 41-week prison sentence and ordered Harding to pay £882.26 in compensation to the affected retailers. PC Rebecca Risebrow from the Spree Offender Team commented on the case, stating that Harding had shown no regard for the impact of her actions on local businesses.
PC Risebrow emphasized: 'These were not isolated incidents, but persistent behaviour that caused financial loss and disruption to local businesses. We continue to work closely with retailers across the city to identify offenders, share information and take positive action wherever possible.'
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to tackle prolific shoplifting in the area, targeting offenders who repeatedly steal from retailers.
