‘Prolific shoplifter’ behind bars

A SHOPLIFTER has been jailed for two years and eight months after assaulting a man and stealing items worth more than £4,000 from shops in Farnborough and Yateley.

Jamie McCaul, 42, of no fixed address, was charged with 10 counts of theft from a shop and assault by beating. He was also charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear of, or provoke unlawful violence. It comes after items including champagne, cleaning products and electric toothbrushes were stolen from stores between June and September. On August 5, McCaul also assaulted a man in Farnborough, and threatened another man in Yateley on August 30.

McCaul was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court last Wednesday after pleading guilty to all 12 offences. As well as his custodial sentence, McCaul received a Criminal Behaviour Order, which was approved for the maximum period of five years. It means he is banned from entering any Waitrose, Shell, Budgens, Co-op, Lidl, Asda or Tesco in the Hart and Rushmoor areas until December 13 2028. He must also leave any shop or commercial premises if asked to do so by staff.

PC Dan Eaves, from the Hart and Rushmoor Priority Crime Team, said: “Jamie McCaul is a prolific shoplifter who brazenly stole high value items from a number of stores across the district. His behaviour and disregard for the law had a significant impact on various businesses and retailers in our area. I hope this result sends a message to offenders that this level of behaviour and criminality in the community will not be tolerated.”