Shocking CCTV footage captures the moment a smartly dressed shoplifter, Leanne Crawley, brazenly stole trendy Jellycat toys worth thousands of pounds from multiple stores in Surrey. Crawley, 46, from Orpington, south London, admitted to five counts of theft and was handed an 18-week prison sentence suspended for one year, despite having 45 previous convictions for theft.
The Thefts
On April 22, 2024, Crawley targeted a garden centre in Buckland, Surrey, stealing £2,528 worth of upmarket Jellycat plushies, which retail between £25 and £50 each. Later that day, she stole a further £76 worth of the toys from the Lemon Tree gift shop in Dorking. Accompanied by a male accomplice, the pair then travelled to an M&S store in Ashtead, where they walked off with £590 worth of champagne.
On September 25, 2024, they struck again at another Lemon Tree branch in Banstead, Surrey, stealing £800 worth of Jellycats. Later that same day, they were caught on CCTV stealing toothbrushes and razors from a Morrisons store in Caterham.
Additional Offences
The court also heard that Crawley committed two further thefts at a BP petrol station in Tonbridge, Kent, on December 17 and 18, 2024. She first stole £123 worth of large Santa-shaped chocolates, then returned the next day to steal another two, valued at £150.
Court Proceedings
Appearing at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Friday, Crawley pleaded guilty to five counts of theft. Despite her extensive criminal record, she was spared immediate imprisonment. The bench chair, Jonathan Patterson, imposed an 18-week suspended sentence and ordered her to pay £85 in costs and a £154 surcharge, but no compensation to the affected shops, citing it would not be "proportionate" given the number of stores involved.
Prosecutor Tharshani Siba described how Crawley and her accomplice removed Jellycats worth £800 from the Banstead store without paying. Defence lawyer Matt Tye argued that Crawley had suffered from drug addiction but had worked hard to get clean, with the December offences occurring during a temporary relapse. He urged the court not to send her to prison, noting her fragile recovery.
Impact on Retailers
Ivor Rao, owner of the Lemon Tree gift shop chain, said the thefts had hit his business hard and left employees terrified. The store has now locked all Jellycats away to prevent further thefts. "It's the effect on the staff that is the worst thing. If we confront someone we don't know what they are going to do and you feel vulnerable," he said. "We lock them away now and all the staff feel much more relaxed."
Following the thefts, the store posted a strongly worded warning on social media for other Jellycat retailers to watch out for Crawley, calling her a "lowlife" and urging shares to help identify her.
Jellycat Resale Market
Jellycat toys have become highly resaleable due to the company's practice of "retiring" popular designs, creating a hot secondhand market. Some plushies fetch up to £1,000 on resale sites like Vinted and eBay.
Sentencing, Patterson acknowledged Crawley's efforts to remain drug-free, saying, "You are taking the right steps. The bench wishes you good luck in your quest to remain drug free." Crawley responded, "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, I'm really grateful."
