A persistent Southend shoplifter has been banned from every BP garage and store across Essex for two years.
Stacey Samuels, 35, has also been prohibited from entering the Co-op store in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff, during that time.
The criminal behaviour order with these two conditions was imposed on Samuels by Basildon magistrates at a court hearing on January 22.
They were told Samuels had admitted 39 counts of shop theft totalling almost £1,600-worth of goods – including meat, ready meals, boxes of chocolates and bottles of wine – between January 28 and March 24 last year. She also admitted two attempted shop thefts, possession of cannabis and possession of cocaine.
Samuels targeted the BP garage in West Street, Westcliff, as well as the Co-op in Hamlet Court Road, over a two-month period, the court heard.
Sergeant Steve Wells, of Southend Town Centre Team, said after the hearing: “Samuels is a persistent shoplifter but my team caught up with her and she’s had to face the consequences of her actions. I hope staff in the stores she targeted feel safer now she’s been banned from entering them and in the knowledge that, if she breaches her criminal behaviour order, she could be jailed.
“And I also hope Samuels takes the opportunity the court gave her to get treatment for her addiction and, thus, remove the root cause of her offending behaviour.”
As well as the two-year criminal behaviour order, magistrates also imposed an 18-month community order, with requirements to undertake a six-month drug rehabilitation programme and 30 days of rehabilitation activity and to be electronically monitored until April 22, 2025.
Samuels was also ordered to pay a total of £1,042 compensation to BP and £36 to the Co-op, while the court made another order for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.
She was arrested in March 2024 when a town centre team officer spotted her shortly after she was reported to be stealing from the BP garage in West Street. The officer found her in possession of stolen meat.
Samuels was subsequently charged with 33 counts of shop theft. While on court bail, she committed another six thefts and a further two attempts in just four days.
