Bury St Edmunds man Sean Smith jailed for six months after being charged with 10 counts of theft

A man has been jailed for six months after committing nearly 20 different shoplifting offences.

Sean Smith, of no fixed address but from the Bury St Edmunds area, was apprehended by police in Ipswich on Tuesday (October 17).

He appeared before Norwich Magistrates’ Court today (October 19) charged with the theft counts as well as a single drugs offence, to which he pleaded guilty.

Smith committed a total of 19 shoplifting offences from businesses including an Aldi in Newmarket, alcohol and headphones from a Sainsbury’s and HMV in Ipswich as well as cosmetics from Boots.

Inspector Andy Beeby from Bury St Edmunds police said: “The Smith result and the other convictions that have taken place recently demonstrate shoplifting is a crime whatever the value of the item stolen and can result in a criminal conviction.

“With it being Safer Business Action Week this week, hopefully this will give some comfort to shop owners that where the compelling evidence is secured we will look to prosecute with appropriate action taken by the courts.

“Periodically, operations are carried out to try to target such offences through high-visibility and covert patrols in a bid to disrupt shoplifters, particularly persistent offenders who choose not to change their criminal behaviour.”

Smith’s conviction is the latest in a string of shoplifting offences in the Bury area, with a 22 -year-old jailed for three weeks in October, a 21-year-old for 12 weeks in September and a 53-year-old for eight weeks in August all on similar charges.

Smith has been transferred to HMP Norwich to serve his custodial sentence.