Shoplifter jailed for stealing more than £600 worth of sweets and goods from Portsmouth shops

Ian Hiller of no fixed address stole £400 of items from Tesco on Kingston Road on July 31. The following day he stole £223.80 of confectionary from the same store. On Tuesday, November 28 he was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison at Portsmouth Magistrates Court after admitting both thefts.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said that targeting shoplifters was a priority: “Targeting shoplifters is a priority for the district, and we will be relentlessly pursuing those that are violent to staff or are repeat offenders. We have a city centre team dedicated to catching these offenders and are working with businesses across the city to target shoplifters.

“To help protect your business: Make sure staff are able to use any appropriate security equipment such as panic alarms; Make sure CCTV cameras are in good working order, the position provides the best possible coverage and they are serviced annually; Remind staff to report any suspicious activity to the manager or the police. Details should also be recorded and include: date, time, description of person.

“The community are our eyes and ears and we encourage you to report all incidents as soon as you are able to by calling 101 if it’s not an emergency. You can also report suspicious activity online by visiting our website: www.hampshire.police.uk. If a crime is in progress, always call 999.”