Shoplifters are banned from almost every store in town
PAIR ‘BLIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY’
A PAIR of “prolific” shoplifters have been banned from entering almost every store in a Lincolnshire town.
John Cash, 31, and Stuart Foster, 38, were handed criminal behaviour orders after targeting Gainsborough shops in a spate of thefts.
According to Lincolnshire Police, the pair caused “persistent” issues for the market town.
Inspector Michael Head said: “This type of offending blights our communities and we want to protect our communities from it.”
Foster, of Woods Terrace, was handed a three-year order for a series of offences. He has been banned from entering any shops in the town except for Aldi in Lea Road or the Jet Station in Bridge Road.
The order also prevents him from acting in a way that would cause anyone in the town alarm or distress, including the use of offensive language and gestures.
Similarly, Cash, of Lea Road, was issued a criminal behaviour order for shoplifting from B&M and supermarket Tesco between October 13 and November 14.
The order prohibits him from entering any retail premises in the town except for Caddys, Jet, and the Co-op for two years.
Criminal behaviour orders are designed to tackle the most serious and persistent antisocial individuals whose behaviour has brought them before a criminal court.
The orders mean there are enforceable rules on where they can and cannot go and if they are breached, the offenders could be jailed for up to five years.
Inspector Head added: “These orders seek to provide longer-term solutions to prevent this behaviour, allowing both prohibitive and positive requirements to be imposed.
“They also provide the courts with additional sentencing powers to deal with any breaches.”