Moment 'brazen' thief jailed after stealing 320 Creme Eggs in shoplifting spree
Footage captured the moment Harding wandered out of a shop carrying trays of the sweet treats
A prolific shoplifter has been jailed after stealing hundreds of Cadbury’s Creme Eggs and alcohol in a string of thefts across Peterborough.
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Leah Harding, 37, stole 64 boxes of Creme Eggs from Barn Garden Centre on Gunthorpe Road on 13 February.
Later the same day, she went to Dobbies Garden Centre in Hampton, where she stole bottles of spirits worth £300.
Police said Harding, who is of no fixed address, then went on to steal alcohol and cheese on three separate occasions from the Co-op in Eye before she was arrested on 18 March.
CCTV footage showed Harding wandering out of a shop carrying trays of the chocolate treats.
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At Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27 March, Harding was sentenced to 41 weeks in prison after admitting five counts of shop theft.
She was also ordered to pay £882.26 in compensation.
PC Rebecca Risebrow, from the Spree Offender Team, said: “Harding brazenly stole from several retailers in the Peterborough area with no thought of the impact of her actions.
“These were not isolated incidents, but persistent behaviour that caused financial loss and disruption to local businesses.
“We continue to work closely with retailers across the city to identify offenders, share information and take positive action wherever possible - targeting some of the county’s most prolific offenders.”