Thief jailed for stealing nearly £1,000 from shops across Birmingham
A thief has been jailed after police charged him with stealing from shops across the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police officers from the Shard End Neighbourhood Team had been investigating thief, James Taylor, aged 41, of no fixed address, and were actively looking for him in connection with several shop thefts across the Birmingham and Solihull.
The team's enquiries linked Taylor to thefts where items, including chocolate, as well as laundry, beauty, and cleaning products, had been stolen, with the total value of the goods being close to £1,000.
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Following a thorough investigation into the thefts, officers tracked Taylor to an associate's address, where he was arrested.
He was subsequently charged, and at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Tuesday, he admitted to10 counts of shop theft and was jailed for 26 weeks.
Sergeant Russ Tringham, Shard End's dedicated neighbourhood officer, said: "We take shop theft seriously as we don't underestimate the impact it has on businesses, staff, and law-abiding citizens.
"A thorough investigation from local officers has resulted in a prolific offender being arrested and brought before the courts.
"I would urge anyone with concerns or information about shop thefts to please get in touch - our team is ready to listen and act on your concerns."
