A prolific shoplifter has been jailed just days after he was arrested for going on a £1,000 crime spree in Worthing.
Sussex Police said: “Linton Woolley, 35, of no fixed address, was charged with 28 counts of shoplifting for offences between Friday 13 October and Tuesday 5 December.
“Woolley appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday 11 December where he pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to 18 weeks’ imprisonment.
“He was also ordered to pay £154.
“On each occasion, he was identified by staff who reported it to police.
“The stores which were targeted by Woolley included the Co-op in Test Road, Sompting, Co-op in Plaza Parade, Co-op in South Street, Lancing, Tesco Express, Goring Road, Co-op, Salvington Road, Co-op, Field Place Parade, and Tesco, Littlehampton Road, in Worthing, Co-op, Nelson Road, in Durrington, and One Stop, North Lane, in East Preston.
“Woolley stole a variety of products, including meat, cheese, dishwasher tablets, baby milk and wine.”
PC Jamie Sanderson, of the Adur, Worthing and Horsham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Woolley is well known for his previous history of shoplifting in the area.
“Our relentless pursuit of our most prolific offenders has resulted in yet another one receiving a custodial sentence, offering some respite for our business community who have suffered loss at the hands of persistent offenders.
“Many of these are now behind bars which has reduced offending during the festive period when the retail world would usually see a spike in acquisitive crime.”
