Leeds man banned from 11 shops and 27 streets

Two shoplifters have been locked up and have been banned from shops in Leeds city centre.[1][2] Officers from the Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team have been carrying out more patrols around shops in the city centre in the run up to Christmas when the number of shoplifting offences typically increase. The force have been working with retailers and organisations such as Safer Leeds, Leeds Business Improvement District, Businesses Against Crime in Leeds and Leeds City Centre Management.

Work by specialist antisocial behaviour link officer PC Phil Underdown from Leeds Antisocial Behaviour Team[3] means actions have been taken against six prolific offenders. Thirty-four arrests have happened since October and 21 community protection notices have been issued. Sixteeen stop searches, 232 proactive patrols and retailer reassurance visits, 53 crime prevention visits and eight workshops have also taken place.

On Monday, Joseph Ford, 41, of East Park Terrace, Leeds, was jailed for two years over a string of offences where he stole chocolate, perfume, alcohol and gloves from shops in the city centre.

He was given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order barring him from any Asda, Co-op, Go Outdoors, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Snow + Rock, Sports Direct, and Toolstation with the area bordered by and including Inner Ring Road, Willow Terrace Road, Calverley Street, Portland Street, Great George Street, Inner Ring Road, Westgate, East Parade, King Street, Wellington Street, New Station Street, Swinegate, The Calls, Call Lane, High Court, Kirkgate, St Peters Street and Eastgate, Crown Point Road, Bowman Lane, Waterloo Street, Hunslet Road, Bridge End, Sovereign Street, Neville Street, and Bishopgate Street. On Wednesday last week, James Nye, 27, of no fixed addres, was handed 40 weeks imprisonment after being convicted of 11 thefts from shops, one count of assault and one of failing to provide a drug test sample. He was also made the subject of a three-year criminal behaviour order which excludes him from all retail premises within the city centre, Crown Point Retail Park and City South Retail Park.

Both men face arrest and prosecution if they breach any of their conditions.

Inspector Natasha Tierney, who heads the Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Our increased focus on retail crime in the run-up to Christmas has brought some very significant positive results, including prison sentences and lengthy criminal behaviour orders on some of our most prolific offenders. "The hardcore of offenders, like Ford and Nye, who repeatedly target our city centre shops on a daily basis cause significant harm to local retailers. We hope the action that we have taken against them and others during this operation will provide some much-needed relief and reassurance to businesses at this key time of the year.

"We also hope the enforcement of these orders on their release from prison will help to steer them towards the help they need for the substance abuse issues that underlie their offending. We will be continuing to actively engage with retailers into the new year to support them in preventing shoplifting offences and catching and deterring those responsible." LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp community and anyone who joins will get the latest breaking news and top stories sent direct to their phone.

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References

1. ^ shoplifters (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
2. ^ Leeds city centre. (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
3. ^ Leeds Antisocial Behaviour Team (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
4. ^ Graham Connell missing from Leeds latest as overnight police searches continue after car found near locks (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
5. ^ here (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
6. ^ Read our privacy notice here (www.reachplc.com)