A prolific thief who went on a six-week crime spree targeting shops and vehicles in Nottingham has been jailed. Stuart Askey walked into supermarkets and other stores in Clifton and The Meadows and took items from the shelves.
Nottinghamshire Police said they arrested the 39-year-old on May 2 after carrying out an extensive investigation into the thefts. The offences took place between March 11 and April 23, 2023 with Askey stealing goods totalling more than £500.
He stole items such as meat, cheese and other food products on six occasions from Farm Foods, in Southchurch Drive, Clifton. Askey would stuff the items down his jumper or inside his coat.
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He also walked into the Wilko store, in Southchurch Drive, and stole laundry products on four occasions. He targeted the Co-op, in the Bridgeway Centre, The Meadows, where he stole laundry products and household items on two occasions.
Askey also targeted the Heron Foods store, in Southchurch Drive, where he took laundry products. Ring doorbell footage also captured him opening the door of a van parked outside a home in Hockerwood, Clifton, on 9 April.
Askey, of Southchurch Drive, Clifton, was locked up for 16 weeks on May 2 when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court the following day on May 3. He pleaded guilty to 14 shop thefts and one charge of interfering with a motor vehicle.
Inspector Steve Dalby, who has recently taken the position of district commander for Nottingham South, said: “To secure this number of charges against an offender involves a huge amount of painstaking police work so I am grateful to all my officers who were involved in this case and particularly Police Constables Jane Gibson and Mel Starmer.
“Askey is a prolific shoplifter who has caused serious issues for a number of local stores.
“I am pleased the court has given him a custodial sentence and hope this sends a clear message that we take shoplifting and associated crime very seriously.
“We work closely with businesses and our partners to ensure the shops which serve our communities are places which people want to visit in order to spend their money.
“We know that a disproportionate number of shop thefts are committed by a relatively small group of persistent offenders like Askey.
“By targeting resources at those individuals and working with businesses and other partners we are already seeing some very promising results.”
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