A man has been banned from entering the BP forecourt and M&S Simply Food store in Southern Way, Harlow for a year and given a two-year community order after a court heard he stole from the shop 18 times in four months.
Ryan Kinggett was identified by town centre team officers from CCTV stills taken at the BP garage and M&S store.
Southend magistrates were told that Kinggett, who admitted 18 counts of theft from the shop, had stolen food and other items worth a total value of £1,926.70.
His most expensive haul was £276.35-worth of steak, burgers and chicken but Kinggett also stole sausages, sandwiches, drinks, baby milk formula and razors between May 12 and September 16, 2023.
The court heard he had handed himself into police when he became aware officers wanted to speak to him about breaching a previous court order.
Kinggett was given a 24-month community order comprising a six-month drug monitoring requirement. He must also complete a 40-day accredited programme and 30 days of rehabilitation activity.
The order also excludes him from the M&S shop in the BP garage in Southern Way, Harlow.
Kinggett was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to BP.
He also admitted possession of a knife in a public place. A conditional discharge was imposed and the court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the weapon.
PC Aaron Bruin, of Harlow Local Policing Team, said: “Kinggett is a prolific thief who stole to fund his drug addiction. I hope he takes the opportunity the court has offered to him to attend a rehabilitation programme so he has no need to reoffend.
“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and Kinggett’s actions will have distressed the shop staff and any customers in the store at the time of his crimes.
“Thanks to good CCTV images supplied by the store, officers were able to identify Kinggett and attempt to locate him.
“I would urge retail staff to report shop thefts or any abuse or harassment they get from shoplifters or other customers online at www.essex.police.uk/ro. If we don’t know about the crime, we can’t investigate it.”
