Prolific shoplifter sparks disbelief after been caught over ‘ridiculous’ behaviour

What’s in a name, people often ask. Well in this case, maybe quite a lot.

Police say a prolific shoplifter’s reign of thefts was ‘frankly ridiculous’ given how notorious he is – and his name definitely stands out. John Lewis, aged 34 from Portland Street in Leamington Spa, targeted shops around the Shires Retail Park and The Parade.

During his latest spree, on November 11 , he stole a £100 coat from a clothing shop in the Shires Retail Park in Leamington and was caught on CCTV. Then, on March 6, he went into a supermarket on The Parade in Leamington, where he took a bottle of vodka off the shelf.

An employee recognised him and confronted him. At that point, he appeared to have changed his mind. He grabbed a second bottle of vodka and left the store without making any payment.

Lewis was seen on camera two days later stealing a bicycle that had been left outside of a store in Shires Retail Park. He purchased two £45 bottles of whisky on March 26th, once more from a supermarket on The Parade.

Then, on April 9, Lewis returned to Shires Retail Park’s shop and stuffed a red charity coin box inside his coat. Lewis seized two packs of makeup brushes and three other cosmetic products worth a total of £43.98 from a drugstore on The Parade two days later.

Lewis finally entered a clothes store at Shires Retail Park on April 12 and took another coat, which was worth £129.99. Staff members acknowledged him each time.

Lewis admitted stealing to support his drug habit in an interview following his arrest. He was fined £718.94 and given a 26-week prison sentence at Coventry Magistrates Court on April 18 for six charges of shop theft and one crime of

‘Frankly ridiculous’

Following the court hearing, investigating officer PC Wainwright said: “John Lewis is known so well to business owners that it is frankly ridiculous that he thinks he can continue stealing from them. Unfortunately, this is the impact of addiction on the lives of the individual and the lives of those around them.

“Rationality and sense don’t really come into it. Only prolific shoplifters receive prison sentences, which give the businesses a time of respite from their activities, as well as giving people like Lewis an opportunity to rethink their lives and to access support services available to them.”