A serial shoplifter branded a ‘pest’ by police was captured stealing a staggering 27 times from the same Co-op store during a six-month crime spree.
Patrick Butler, 43, was caught shamelessly and repeatedly targeting the same store, stealing nearly £1,400 worth of stock in total during the six-month period.
And on some occasions he would even help himself to goods from the shelves in Bestwood, Nottingham, more than once a day.
The brazen criminal stole thousands of pounds worth of items from the shop from December, 2023 until the start of this month, a court heard.
Each time, the thief would lurk into the shop and make away with anything he could get his hands on, arrogantly walking away with a bag filled with items.
Shockingly, after being charged with six thefts Butler failed to attend court and went on to commit 21 more offences at the branch while we was wanted by authorities.
Butler has now been jailed for 12 months after police finally caught up with him.
He was issued with a criminal behaviour order banning him from entering the store for two years
Butler tormented staff by regularly going into the shop on Beckhampton Road – insolently strolling out with stolen items, a court heard.
After being charged for stealing £210 worth of stock on March 12, he descended again on March 23 – this time taking cheese as well as laundry products.
Unashamed, Butler would strike the store another eight more times between March 24 and May 2 before briefly going into hiding once more.
However his stint away from the shop was short-lived as he returned to steal from the Co-op on May 4.
Just over a week later on May 12, he confidently made two visits to the shop in one day, repeating the same procedure the next day – walking with a full bag on each time.
Butler returned to the store to shoplift five more times, with one of his thefts on May 25 seeing him also shove a staff member before leaving.
Officers were able to track down and apprehend Butler at an address in Top Valley, Nottingham, during the early hours of Wednesday, June 12.
Butler, of Bestwood Park, Nottingham, was subsequently charged with 21 shop thefts and for failing to surrender to police.
He appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he confessed to the offences alongside the six other thefts.
Sergeant Katie Taylor, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Bestwood neighbourhood policing team, said: ‘Patrick Butler has been a pest to the Bestwood community for some time now – especially those working at the local Co-op.
‘On no less than 27 separate occasions, he walked into the shop with the sole purpose of helping himself to items without ever intending to pay for them.
‘Despite our officers catching Butler and charging him with the first six thefts, he then decided not to bother showing up to court to answer for what he’d done, but went into hiding instead.
‘Not content with this, he then went on to steal from the same store again and again – taking around £1,400 worth of stock in the process.
‘The arrogance he showed in continuing to target the same shop so many times was staggering, so we’re really pleased to have been able to track him down and bring him before the courts.
‘We fully understand how much of a negative impact shoplifters like Butler can have on communities, which is why targeting acquisitive crimes such as this remains one of our policing priorities for the city north area.
‘Shoplifting offences are a blight on the community, and are unfair on shoppers who spend their hard-earned money on items.
‘We’re really pleased with the court’s ruling – not just the custodial sentence – as having this CBO in place means if Butler decides to repeat his offending, he will more than likely find himself behind bars again.’