Man banned from every Boots store in the country

Liam Hutchinson, 32, who stole more than £100,000 worth of goods from Boots stores across London, was sentenced to 12 months behind bars and banned from the chain for 10 years.

He was also banned from entering Chelsea and Kensington for the next five years.

Between May and August this year, the 32-year-old committed 99 shoplifting offences, mostly stealing electrical items and razors.

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The Met Police scoured hundreds of hours of CCTV to bring Hutchinson to justice, interviewing witnesses and Boots staff in the process.

Sergeant Jack Vine, from the Met’s Volume Crime Team in central London, who led the investigation, said: “Hutchinson has been targeting Boots stores across Chelsea and Kensington, costing the business a total of £107,000 in lost revenue.

“We recognised the impact Hutchinson’s actions were having on the retailer, and through working with staff, we built a strong case of evidence against him, which has been reflected in his sentencing.

“This result should act as a warning that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated, and that we will come down hard on those who show a complete disregard for the law, terrorise retail workers and cost businesses thousands of pounds.”

Nicky Harrop, Head of Security, Fraud and Contract Management at Boots, added: “We have been investing significantly in measures that will deter and disrupt criminal activity, stop theft, protect our team members, and support the police with high-quality evidence.

“Tackling the growing levels of retail crime is a collaborative effort, so we’re pleased to work alongside the Metropolitan Police to ensure our stores remain a safe and respectful environment for our team members and customers.”

Chief Inspector, Rav Pathania, the Met’s lead for tackling retail crime, said:  “The Met is coming down hard on shoplifters by putting more officers in local teams, increasing patrols and conducting intelligence-led, targeted operations to go after the most prolific offenders.

“Shoplifting is an injustice in our communities and causes fear and loss to retail workers and businesses, and we are more determined than ever to ensure we are gathering more evidence of multiple offences in order to get more convictions and stronger sentences for those responsible.

“This is another shining example of great work by Met officers to achieve this, and through their efforts, we’ve been able to remove another prolific shoplifter from our streets, utilising the power of Community Behaviour Orders to prevent him causing further misery in the local community.”