This is the shocking moment a shoplifter brazenly ransacked Sainsbury’s shelves before he was banned from every branch of the supermarket.
Joseph Tait, 38, repeatedly targeted two of the supermarkets earlier this year where he stole £2,500 worth of meat and cheese.
A court heard he also helped himself to drinks and snacks from the stores in Heaton, Newcastle.
It comes amid calls to tackle the scourge of shoplifting in the UK, which has surged by 25 per cent – with a total of 365,164 incidents of shoplifting logged by police in England and Wales in the past year.
Shoppers and staff reported Tait to police who scoured CCTV to catch him stealing from the stores.
Northumbria Police released footage showing Tait ransacking the shelves of a Sainsbury’s in Chillingham Road in Heaton.
The clip shows him grabbing armfuls of chilled food from the fridges while shocked shoppers watch in disgust.
Tait has now been barred from entering all 1,400 branches of Sainsbury’s in the country until October 2025.
He was given the ban as part of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) when he appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court last month.
Tait, of no fixed address, admitted four theft charges and asked for 22 more offences to be taken into consideration.
The court heard he has numerous convictions for theft, burglary and possession of drugs.
The CBO prevents Tait from entering any Sainsbury’s store in the country and requires him to leave any retail premises if asked to do so by staff.
Sergeant Gary Sharpe, of Northumbria Police, said: ‘We are pleased that the CBO has been implemented and Tait is now banned from setting foot inside the shops.
‘Law-abiding members of the public including those working in these businesses should not have to endure this sort of behaviour with it impacting their day-to-day lives and these new conditions mean they will no longer have to.
‘Tait’s persistent criminality has been an increasing concern to residents and businesses in the Heaton area and should he choose to ignore the conditions of the order, he risks further punishment, including a custodial sentence.
‘We would also like to thank all of the members of the public and shop staff who assisted in our investigation which has ultimately helped to secure the granting of the CBO.’
It comes as the proportion of shoplifting incidents that led to court action has fallen to just 12.2 per cent from almost 19 per cent in 2020. Leading retail figures warn of a crime ‘epidemic’, with gangs marauding through the UK’s high streets.
Rishi Sunak last month pledged to crack down on the scourge of shoplifting – but in a contradictory move this week Justice Secretary Alex Chalk revealed he will change the law to limit short prison terms. This is likely to lead to thousands of shoplifters and thieves dodging jail.
Graham Wynn of the British Retail Consortium said: ‘Retail crime has been getting increasingly worse, with thieves becoming bolder and more aggressive. These incidents are very often the trigger to violent and abusive incidents against workers.
‘It also costs retailers £953million a year – money that would be better spent on reducing prices. We need the police to give retail crime greater prioritisation.’
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
