A brazen and prolific shoplifter has been jailed after a four-month spree during which he stole mostly from the Co-op and abused staff.
Damien O’Hare, 48, was already subject to a “criminal behaviour order” aimed at curbing his offending and banning him from every Co-op store in Sussex.
Recorder Patricia Hitchcock sentenced O’Hare to three years and three months in prison at Lewes Crown Court last Wednesday (14 August).
Sussex Police said: “A prolific shoplifter who targeted stores across Crawley and breached multiple behavioural orders has been jailed.
“Damien O’Hare, 48, of no fixed address, was charged with 26 counts of shoplifting, 22 counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order and one count of using insulting or threatening language.
“The offences were all committed between March and June 2024, predominantly targeted at a Co-op, in Dorsten Square, Bewbush, as well as a number of other stores.
“O’Hare would brazenly enter the store, take goods from shelves and leave without paying in full view of staff.
“On some occasions he was challenged and threatened to violently assault a female member of staff.
“He targeted some stores multiple times on the same day and each theft from the Co-op was in breach of an existing criminal behaviour order banning him from entering any Co-op store in Sussex.
“O’Hare pleaded guilty to all charges at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday 10 June.
“He was sentenced to three years and three months in prison at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday 14 August.”
Detective Chief Inspector Pauline Lane said: “The vast scale of Damien O’Hare’s offending shows a man with absolutely no regard for the intimidation and financial harm he was causing these businesses and their employees.
“Shoplifting is far from a victimless crime. Shopworkers should feel comfortable going to work without having to face threats or putting themselves at risk by confronting brazen criminals.
“We will continue to work closely with our business community to protect them, make it easier to report crime and share intelligence to allow us to target prolific offenders such as O’Hare.”
